Olly Stephens: Three teenagers detained over boy's stabbing death

Three teenagers who killed a 13-year-old boy over a social media row have been sentenced to custody in young offenders institutions.

A girl lured Olly Stephens to a field in Reading, Berkshire, where two boys lying in wait stabbed him to death.

The boys, aged 14, were found guilty of murder following a trial at Reading Crown Court. One was sentenced to 13 years and the other to 12 years.

The girl, 14, admitted manslaughter and was given three years and two months.

None of them can be identified for legal reasons.

The two boys were given life sentences, meaning they will serve minimum terms of 12 and 13 years respectively.

Judge Heather Norton told the three teenagers: "Whatever part each of you played - great or small - what you did that day was utterly cruel and totally pointless.

"You have taken one life, damaged your own futures and you have caused so much pain to so many people.

"The effects of what you did will stay with you and with Olly's family forever."

The judge said the sentences would seem "unbearably short" to Olly's family, but "unbearably long" for the defendants.

Olly's killers believed he "grassed" on them to the brother of a boy they had mocked in a social media group chat, the trial heard.

Voice notes and text messages were presented to the jury in which the boys talked about taking revenge.

"He's actually getting banged when I see him," one message said.

Another added: "I actually hate the kid with a passion, like if I was to see him right now I'll probably end up killing him or something."

The girl was recruited to lure Olly to Bugs Bottom fields, near his home in Emmer Green, as part of a "set-up", the jury was told.

She suggested in messages exchanged before the killing that he deserved what was coming, describing it as "karma", the court heard.

Olly was filmed on a doorbell camera leaving his family home for the last time, looking at his phone as he walked to meet the girl.

He was stabbed twice when he arrived - one blade penetrated 17cm (6.5in) into his back, and another wound in his chest was 9cm (3.5in) deep, the jury heard.

Olly's parents have described receiving a knock on the door to tell them Olly had been stabbed.

They both rushed to the fields where they found their fatally injured son receiving CPR.

"The thing that sticks in my mind is when I went up to the field and everybody turned round - the horror was just written all over their faces," said Stuart Stephens, Olly's father.

Mr Stephens said he believed "social media has a lot to answer for" and claimed "it played a massive part in Olly's death".

He also criticised the "gangster mentality" of the killers who he said must have felt like they "were in a video game".

Paying tribute to Olly, he said: "He had such a big heart - he was very generous, very loving, very caring."

Speaking on the steps of the court after sentencing, Mr Stephens said: "We relaxed for a few moments, preoccupied with getting on with life, and took our eyes of him for just a moment.

"It cost us and him dearly."

Mr Stephens added that he would like to see laws changed "to protect our children to empower the investigative police and to help parents and support them to navigate the dangers of online victimisation".

"If it was up to me no child under 16 would have a mobile phone," he said.

Both boys were also convicted of perverting the course of justice.

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