Cheung Yau-hang, one of the five killers involved in the horrific Braemar Hill killings in April 1985, was freed at the end of 2007.

Legislator Leung Yiu-chung, who launched a campaign before the handover to fight for a definite sentence for prisoners convicted of murder when they were under 18, said Mr Cheung had been hired as an inspection worker at a public utility.

Mr Cheung and Won Sam-lung, both 16 at the time of the murders of Island School students Nicola Myers and Kenneth McBride, were sentenced in 1987 to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, and were held at the Chief Executive's discretion after the handover.

The murders of Myers, 18, and McBride, 17, stunned the city with their brutality. She was raped and sustained 500 knife wounds, while he was strangled and had 100 injuries.

Mr Cheung was handed a 35-year fixed sentence in 2005 by Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee in the Court of First Instance. Mr Won received a sentence of 28 years and three months in August 2004. He was released a month later after having served two-thirds of the term. Mr Won was offered a job as a clerk at a law firm after his release.

Chris Forse, a former teacher to McBride and Myers at Island School where they studied before they were murdered on Braemar Hill in 1985, believes Mr Cheung should be given a chance to become a good and law-abiding citizen after his release.

Mr Leung said he was pleased to see all the young murderers had left jail. 'They should be punished for their serious crimes but I feel it was a bit late for them to get their fixed terms and leave jail,' he said.

Mr Leung has employed four of the former inmates as his assistants at the Neighbourhood and Workers Service Centre, though one of them quit recently. Keith Kwan, 36, has been at the centre, a grass-roots rights group, since winning his freedom in November 2007.

'I feel grateful for the eventual release of all of us,' Mr Kwan said. 'I also appreciate the sympathy of many members of the public for our battle for definite sentences.

'They are willing to give us a chance to reintegrate into society despite the mistakes we made in our teens.'

Mr Kwan was convicted of murder after a gang fight in 1990 when he was 17 and was sentenced to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure. In November 2004 Mr Justice Pang gave him a fixed term of 27 years.

Most of the young murderers have taken up low-income jobs after their release but one is currently unemployed.

'I must express gratitude to Mr Leung for his support, without which we wouldn't have been able to win definite sentences and rehabilitate ourselves,' Mr Kwan said.

In December 1997, the 14 young murderers were given minimum terms of 15 to 30 years on the recommendation of Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, but with no maximum term, so in effect they remained in indefinite detention. In September 2002, the Court of First Instance ruled that the power to fix sentences should rest with the courts.

A new beginning

The saga of the prisoners detained

1985 Cheung Yau-hang and Won Sam-lung are detained at Her Majesty?s pleasure after being convicted of murdering Kenneth McBride and Nicola Myers (pictured) on Braemar Hill

1997 Legislator Leung Yiu-chung launches campaign for fixed sentences for the young killers

December 1997 Fourteen young killers receive minimum terms of 15-30 years on recommendation of Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, but no maximum term

May 2001 From the Queen to the Chief Executive, a film telling the stories of 14 young prisoners detained at the Chief Executive?s discretion, is released in Hong Kong

2001 Young murderers Lai Hung-wai and Yau Kwong-man seek judicial review of system under which they were first detained at Her Majesty?s pleasure, and then at Chief Executive?s discretion after 1997

September 2002 Court of First Instance rules power to fix sentences should rest with courts

July 2004 Legislative Council passes legislation giving Secretary for Justice six months to apply for minimum sentences and empowers judge to set minimum sentence or change indefinite sentence to fixed term for juvenile murderers; Justice Pang Kin-kee gives fixed sentences to young killers

2004 Won Sam-lung is released

2007 Cheung Yau-hang leaves jail

December 2008 Lam King-wa becomes last of the young prisoners held at the Chief Executive?s discretion to leave jail