Two convicted murderers had the minimum term that they have to serve before they are eligible for parole reduced today in Supreme Court.

Kevin Warner and Derek Spalding will now have to serve 25 years behind bars before they can be considered for release.

The move comes after a judgement by the Privy Council in October, 2013, which ruled that the maximum term a defendant convicted of premeditated murder should serve in prison before he could be considered for released was 25 years.

In 2011, Warner was convicted by unanimous verdicts of a jury of shooting his friend Dekimo Purple Martin in the back in May, 2010 in Sandys.

He was jailed for life and he was told he would spent a 35 years in prison before he could be considered for release.

No motive for the killing was ever established.

In March, 2012, Spalding was jailed for life with a minimum term of 38 years before he could be considered for parole for the murder of footballer Shaki Crockwell.

Mr Crockwell, 25, was gunned down on the railway trail in Loyal Hill, Devonshire in August, 2007.

Spalding shot him once in the back of the head.

Both men appeared in Supreme Court today to have the minimum terms initially imposed at their sentencing hearings reduced as a consequence of the Privy Council judgement.

Warner’s hearing took just half an hour as reasons for the adjustment were outlined by Prosecutor Carrington Mahoney and submissions were made by Warner’s lawyer, Larry Mussenden.

When asked if there was anything he wanted to say before the new minimum tariff was set down Warner said: “No sir”.

However, Spalding, who represented himself, got into a heated exchanged with Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves in which he repeatedly interrupted the judge and professed his innocence.

Spalding told the court that he did not acknowledge the ruling and when asked if he had anything to say before the new minimum tariff was imposed said: “Do as you wish”.

Both Spalding and Warner are still subject to life sentences for premeditated murder.

It is only the minimum term that they must serve behind bars before they can be considered for release on parole that has been reduced.