London: The Islamist killers of Drummer Lee Rigby were manhandled out of court yesterday (Wednesday) after fighting with guards as they were sentenced for the murder.

Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, reacted with fury after being told by Mr Justice Sweeney that their crime was a “betrayal of Islam”. Adebolajo screamed at the judge as he was forced down the dock stairs in the Old Bailey’s historic Court No 2. Both men were grabbed around the head by eight officers in the dock. Adebowale was held to the floor and handcuffed before being carried downstairs head first.

Relatives of Drummer Rigby, who were sitting just three feet (91cm) away from the dock, stood up and backed away from the violence. His widow Rebecca was left sobbing at the scenes, which lasted several minutes.

The killers hacked the 25-year-old soldier to death in May last year after running him over near his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London. Angered by the judge’s comments about Islam, Adebowale stood up and shouted: “That’s a lie. It’s not a betrayal of Islam. You don’t know what Islam is.”

The struggle erupted as the murderer yelled: “I swear by Allah that America and Britain will never have any safety. Allahu Akbar [God is Great].”

After the defendants had been removed Mr Justice Sweeney resumed his sentencing to give Adebolajo a “whole-life” tariff. Adebowale was given life with a minimum term of 45 years. The judge said the pair became extremists and decided to “murder a soldier in public daylight” to advance their extremist cause. He described the scene as a “bloodbath” and said they “butchered” Drummer Rigby. Mr Justice Sweeney said the pair had not shown any regret for the killing, adding: “I’m sure this was a murder done for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or racial cause. Your sickening and pitiless conduct was in stark contrast to the compassion and bravery shown by the various women at the scene who tended to Lee Rigby’s body and challenged what you had done and said.”

Adebolajo, who wanted to be called by the name Mujaahid Abu Hamza, was dressed in a black Islamic robe and had refused to stand up in court. Lawyers for Adebowale, who was dressed in a black skull cap and black hooded top, referred to him by the name Ishmael Abdullah.

Richard Whittam QC, prosecuting, said they should both receive whole life terms because of the severity of their crime and its political motivation.

David Gottlieb, for Adebolajo, had argued that a whole life tariff would not be appropriate. “[Adebolajo] is not so depraved and wicked that he is incapable of redemption in the future,” he told the court. He added that Adebolajo was a “sincere but misguided person who has committed a wicked act”.

Abbas Lakha QC, for Adebowale, argued that a whole life tariff would be “inhuman” because it would “extinguish all hope of release”.

The two were convicted of murder last December but sentencing was put on hold while the Court of Appeal decided whether judges were free to impose whole life tariffs following a controversial ruling by European judges. Last week appeal judges backed British laws which say that in “exceptional” cases the most heinous criminals can be sent to jail for the rest of their lives.