TWO men jailed for the murder of a Bury taxi driver for the sake of a £2 fare could both be freed from jail in just six years time.

Mark Anthony Baker, now 28, of Bury, and his friend, Jason Power, were sentenced to life at Manchester Crown Court in October 2001 after being convicted of murdering cabbie, Tariq Javed.

The father of four from Richard Birch Street, Bury, was killed on November 9, 2000, when Baker and Power launched a brutal assault on him when they tried to avoid paying a £2 fare.

Mr Javed was dragged out of his cab in Alder Avenue and his head and ribs savagely kicked and stamped on.

Baker then got into the car and, with Power beside him, drove over Mr Javed’s body, before driving to the grounds of Fairfield General Hospital where they set the taxi on fire.

Mr Javed suffered 40 separate injuries to his body including five broken ribs.

The pair and two younger youths had been out celebrating Baker’s 21st birthday in Bury when Mr Javed died at their hands.

Baker of Kingfisher Drive and Power, from Cheltenham Road, Manchester, both denied murder but were convicted by a jury after a six-day trial.

Now, following a review of the case at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Baker was ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years before applying for parole and Power, who was 30 at the time of the killing, at least 14.

Mr Justice David Steel, who conducted the case review, said that because the trial judge had concluded that the two men had only intended to cause serious harm — and not specifically to kill — the 12 and 14 year terms were appropriate.

In setting the pair’s minimum ‘tariffs’, the judge said the evidence had shown that Baker started the attack, but played a lesser role in the kicking and stamping.

He said: “He expressed no remorse in court for what had happened, simply denying any criminal responsibility.

“On the evidence, it was clear that Power was the principal perpetrator of the attack.

“He accepted that he was at least guilty of manslaughter and expressed considerable remorse for his actions.

“In my judgment, balancing the above factors and the trial judge’s conclusion that the basis of the jury verdict was an intention to cause grievous bodily harm, and not to kill, the appropriate tariff period is 14 years for Power and, having regard to his age and his progress in prison, 12 years for Baker.”

However, neither man will be released automatically after serving their minimum terms.

Both will have to convince the Parole Board they no longer pose a public danger before being granted their freedom.

They will then spend the rest of their lives subject to strict licence conditions.

With that comes the threat of return to prison if they breach those conditions at any time.