Youth, 15, is convicted of murdering 12-year-old boy he lured to woodland and then tried to decapitate
- Teen who cannot be named for legal reasons found guilty of murder after a trial
- Court heard victim Roberts Buncis was repeatedly stabbed in December 2020
- Body was found in Boston, Lincolnshire, just two days before his 13th birthday
- Jury told teen targeted his friend 12-year-old Roberts 'because he was a snitch'
A teenager has been convicted of murdering his 12-year-old friend after luring him to woodland and attempting to decapitate him.
The 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stabbed Roberts Buncis more than 70 times on ground in Fishtoft, near Boston, Lincolnshire, on December 12 last year, just two days before his 13th birthday.
A trial at Lincoln Crown Court heard that the defendant 'intended at the very least to inflict serious violence' on his young victim because 'he was a snitch'.
The teenager claimed Roberts had taken the knife to the scene and he 'lost control' when the youngster attempted to stab him.
A teenager has been convicted of killing 12-year-old Robert Buncis, 12, (pictured) who was found dead on common land at Fishtoft, near the town of Boston, Lincolnshire on December 12
Flowers left at the scene where Police search undergrowth in Fistoft, Boston, Lincolnshire
Jurors dismissed the defendant's account after under two hours of deliberations, and instead concluded he was 'motivated by anger and tried to punish the deceased rather than losing self-control'.
The youth admitted manslaughter mid way through his trial but denied murder.
Addressing the defendant after his conviction on Monday, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told him: 'You have been found guilty of the murder of Roberts Buncis.
'In due course, a sentence will have to be imposed upon you.
'The type of sentence will be explained to you I am quite sure, but the actual sentence will have to be the subject of discussion between counsel and myself.
'You will remain in custody in the meantime.'
A teenager, who cannot be named, has been convicted of murdering 12-year-old Roberts (pictured with his father) after luring him to woodland and attempting to decapitate him
The teenager's trial was told he stabbed Roberts 'in excess of 70 times', with a wound to the neck that was 'consistent with a decapitation attempt.'
Roberts was lured to the area by the defendant before he was subjected to a 'savage prolonged attack' with a knife and left to die on the village green before his body was found at around 10am the next day.
He was found with stab injuries to his right side, shoulders, arms and three severe stab wounds to his head with the tip of the blade lodged in his skull.
Jurors were told the defendant 'lured' his victim to the area after the pair exchanged Facebook messages.
The youth also sent messages to other friends after the attack saying: 'It wasn't meant to go down like this.'
Adjourning the case to a date to be fixed, the judge told the youth's barrister: 'I am not intending to proceed to sentence this afternoon.
Pictured: Fishtoft, Lincolnshire where the body of Roberts Buncis was found in December
'I fully understand that there may well be material which the defence and possibly the prosecution, will want to provide to me, which will be relevant to the sentencing exercise.
'It may be that you would like to give some thought to the nature of that material.
'In any event, it's not a straight-forward sentencing exercise, and I would welcome input from both yourself and the Crown as to the appropriate sentence in this case, as far as length is concerned.'
The judge, who excused the jurors from further jury service for the next five years, said he would consider an application to lift reporting restrictions in the case at the sentencing hearing.
Acting on behalf of the youth, defence QC Brendan Kelly admitted the violence was 'extraordinary' but submitted it indicated a 'loss of control' from the defendant.
Addressing the jury during the trial, the prosecution told the jury the murder was 'brutal', 'sustained' and 'gratuitous'.
The teenager was remanded in custody until sentencing at a later date.
