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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Boy gets life for friend's murder | Boy gets life for friend's murder |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A teenager who stabbed his 16-year-old friend through the heart with a kitchen knife has been sentenced to a minimum of 12 years' detention. | A teenager who stabbed his 16-year-old friend through the heart with a kitchen knife has been sentenced to a minimum of 12 years' detention. |
| Luke Rychter was drinking with friends at his sister's house in Halifax, West Yorks, in February when he killed Grant Douglass, Leeds Crown Court heard. | Luke Rychter was drinking with friends at his sister's house in Halifax, West Yorks, in February when he killed Grant Douglass, Leeds Crown Court heard. |
| Rychter, now 16, claimed it had been an accident as he turned with a knife in his hand while making a sandwich. | Rychter, now 16, claimed it had been an accident as he turned with a knife in his hand while making a sandwich. |
| A jury took three hours to find him guilty at the trial last month. | A jury took three hours to find him guilty at the trial last month. |
| 'Knife fascination' | 'Knife fascination' |
| Sentencing him, Judge James Stewart QC said he believed Rychter would not have stabbed his friend had he been sober. | Sentencing him, Judge James Stewart QC said he believed Rychter would not have stabbed his friend had he been sober. |
| "When drunk, you had a fascination with knives, on this latter occasion with fatal results," he said. | "When drunk, you had a fascination with knives, on this latter occasion with fatal results," he said. |
| Outside court, Grant Douglass's sister read a statement on behalf of his family. | Outside court, Grant Douglass's sister read a statement on behalf of his family. |
| She said: "Our Grant has gone forever and nothing will change that. | She said: "Our Grant has gone forever and nothing will change that. |
| "This is a tragedy that should never have happened. Grant was a well-loved son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend to many. He will forever be in our hearts." | "This is a tragedy that should never have happened. Grant was a well-loved son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend to many. He will forever be in our hearts." |
| Earlier incident | Earlier incident |
| During the week-long trial, the court heard how the teenage boys had gathered at the house in Bracewell Bank, where one of them was babysitting four children. | During the week-long trial, the court heard how the teenage boys had gathered at the house in Bracewell Bank, where one of them was babysitting four children. |
| Rychter was drinking when he stabbed his friend | |
| Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, said the youths, who were in the kitchen drinking lager and bourbon whisky, had described Rychter as being "in a mood" all evening. | Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, said the youths, who were in the kitchen drinking lager and bourbon whisky, had described Rychter as being "in a mood" all evening. |
| Some said he had been "kicking off" because he did not have any beer of his own. | Some said he had been "kicking off" because he did not have any beer of his own. |
| The jury heard how Rychter, who was 15 at the time, took a kitchen knife out of a drawer and stabbed Grant Douglass. | The jury heard how Rychter, who was 15 at the time, took a kitchen knife out of a drawer and stabbed Grant Douglass. |
| The victim did not realise he had been stabbed at first and, according to one witness, he laughed, but soon collapsed outside. | The victim did not realise he had been stabbed at first and, according to one witness, he laughed, but soon collapsed outside. |
| Earlier in the evening, Rychter had slashed another friend across the stomach with a knife, causing superficial injuries, after the teenager had lifted his jumper saying he did not think the defendant was "man enough". | Earlier in the evening, Rychter had slashed another friend across the stomach with a knife, causing superficial injuries, after the teenager had lifted his jumper saying he did not think the defendant was "man enough". |