13-YEAR-OLD Olly Stephens was senselessly killed in a park near his home in January 2021.
Here we take a look at the tragic events surrounding his murder.
Olly Stephens was killed in a park just a stone’s throw from his home in Reading, Berkshire
Who was Olly Stephens?
Olly Stephens was a schoolboy who was murdered by other children — two boys who carried out the attack and a girl who orchestrated it.
His family revealed that the 13-year-old had autism, as well as suspected pathological demand avoidance — a profile that also sits on the autism spectrum.
The court was told the two boys had “grievances” with Olly, while the girl described any violence against him as “karma” in the run-up to his death.
What happened to Olly Stephens?
Olly was tricked into coming to Bugs Bottom field where he was stabbed to death in a frenzied ambush by two other boys on January 3, 2021.
The attack took place just a stone’s throw from his home in Reading, Berkshire.
Jurors were told his killers had shared several hostile messages about him on messaging app Snapchat in the days leading up to the stabbing.
Investigators searching Bugs Bottom field, Emmer Green, Reading on January 4, 2021
Two 14-year-old boys, one of whom was 13 at the time of the killing, were convicted of Olly’s murder following a trial at Reading Crown Court in the summer of 2021.
The pair were sentenced on September 24, 2021, to 12 and 13 years respectively in a young offender institution.
A girl who set up the “ambush” had already admitted manslaughter and did not stand trial.
She was 13 when Olly was killed, and was originally given three years and two months, but her term was increased to five years after appeal judges decided the initial sentence was unduly lenient.
Social media is not guilty of the murder, but it did nothing to protect him
Stuart Stephens
The three convicted teens cannot be named for legal reasons and are serving their sentences at young offender institutions.
What have Olly Stephens’ parents said about his murder?
Coming face-to-face with his son’s killers in court in September 2021, Olly’s dad Stuart relived the horrifying moment he sprinted to find his son dying.
He said: “The cruel actions of a vain selfish girl has led to Olly being trapped and slain.
“The day she walked into his life is a day we will forever regret.
“We as a family hold all three of you equally accountable for his death, there will be no forgiveness from us, ever.
Dad Stuart, pictured with mum Amanda, said social media failed to protect his son
“We are no longer the people we were and we will never be the same again.”
They paid tribute to the teenager in a statement issued by Thames Valley Police on January 5, 2021.
It said: “Oliver was an enigma, having both Autism and suspected Pathological Demand Avoidance he became a challenge we never shied away from.
“He was hilariously funny, charming and beautiful.”
In June 2022, Stuart told BBC Panorama: “They hunted him, tracked him and executed him through social media.
“Social media is not guilty of the murder, but it did nothing to protect him.
“Without it he’d still be here.”
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