The judge jailed Brendan Harris and Ryan Herbert, who were aged 15 and 16 at the time of the attack, for life for Sophie’s murder.
On sentencing the pair at Preston Crown Court in 2008, he described the attack on Sophie as she tried to protect her boyfriend as “feral thuggery”.
He said: “This was a hate crime against these completely harmless people targeted because their appearance was different to yours.”
Sophie’s mother Sylvia founded the charity, and was made an OBE for her work to campaign against hate crime.
In 2022, when Sylvia died, the charity said it had had “some very thoughtful” correspondence from Judge Russell, including his memories of Sylvia and the trial.
The foundation said: “Sylvia was forever grateful to Judge Russell for recognising Sophie’s murder as a hate crime and sentencing accordingly.
“He stated very clearly that no change in the law was needed to recognise alternative subculture hate crime, and this recognition of an unmonitored strand of hate crime meant the world to Sylvia.”
It added: “We owe him our thanks for so much.
“May he rest in peace.”
