Moscow City Court sentenced Dmitry Vinogradov this week after hearing how he had planned last November's incident for a year. According to evidence given by Vladimir Markin he had taken lessons at a rifle range and bought two 12-calibre hunting rifles, eight magazines of ammunition and a laser-sight.

No motive

Mr Marking is quoted in the Moscow Times as saying: 'Vinogradov said during questioning that he planned to use all 150 rounds he brought with him that day.' In the event, the death toll was lower than it would otherwise have been after one of his colleagues succeeded in subduing the shooter when one of his arms ran out of bullets. Mr Markin was unable to give a motive for the attack - although his mother told the court that he had bought the rifles after fighting with his girlfriend and starting on anti-depressants.