Three teenagers have been sentenced for their roles in the murder of 13-year-old Oliver Stephens, who was lured to a park in Reading and stabbed to death following a dispute on social media. Two 14-year-old boys were convicted of murder and sentenced to 13 years and 12 years in a young offender institution, while a 14-year-old girl who admitted manslaughter and perverting the course of justice was sentenced to three years and two months.
Oliver, known as Olly and who had autism, was tricked into going to Bugs Bottom field in Emmer Green on 3 January by the girl, where he was ambushed and killed by two former friends he had only met online. Judge Heather Norton described the act as "utterly cruel and utterly pointless," noting the pain caused to many.
Oliver's parents, Stuart and Amanda Stephens, expressed being "completely broken" by his murder. Stuart Stephens told Reading Crown Court that he felt he had failed as a father, saying, "I had one job as a father, to protect my children, and I failed miserably." Amanda Stephens questioned why none of the teenagers present intervened to help her son.
The trial heard that the killers shared hostile messages on Snapchat before the stabbing. After sentencing, Oliver's parents urged parents to take away their children's phones, highlighting social media's role in the tragedy. They also called for a ban on anonymous social media accounts.
