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30/05/2004: "What love, what pain?"

'Spy' (in reality Boy B): could you stab someone?
Boy A: i haven't really thought about it
'Spy': well think please
Boy A: ok erm well i watch a lot of films

Boy B started chatting to Boy A in early 2003, posing as a teenage girl. The fictional 16-year-old girl then introduced Boy A to Boy B on an MSM chatroom. Boy A was led to believe the girl was Boy B's step sister, and the pair soon became a "cyber-couple." The fictional stories, later found on Boy B's computer, were lived out in the internet chatroom.

The fictional girl introduced Boy A to what she claimed was her natural brother and Boy B's step brother. Then another boy was introduced, and began to stalk Boy B. Boy B's girlfriend was supposedly killed by the stalker. The girl's brother then committed suicide, leaving Boy A, Boy B and the stalker communicating with each other.

Then another girl was introduced into the web, who was the character of a British spy on a mission to protect Boy B. By this time, Boy A was beginning to doubt his sanity.

The spy, who was then killed off in the chatroom 'story', sent Boy A an e-mail saying: "By the time you read this I will be dead." After this, the main character of the story, a 39-year-old spy, was introduced. She convinced Boy A that he would be recruited as a spy, if he did what she told him to do. She led Boy A to believe that Boy B had a tumour and was costing the government too much money. She ordered Boy A to kill Boy B, and if he succeeded he would be rewarded by being taken on as a spy.

The spy and Boy A planned the killing online, to take place on 28 June 2003. The following day, the boys met at The Trafford Centre, where they bought a kitchen knife before going to Altrincham, Greater Manchester, and Boy A carried out the attack.

Boy A, who is now 17, was served with a two-year supervision order and is allowed no contact with Boy B.
Boy B, who is now 15, received a three-year supervision order and is banned from using the internet unless accompanied by an adult and is not allowed access to chatrooms even if supervised.

(Greater Manchester Police press release)