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Teen guilty of murdering Viktorija Sokolova in park Viktorija Sokolova murder: Boy guilty of Wolverhampton park killing
(35 minutes later)
A boy who launched a "ferocious" fatal attack on a 14-year-old girl before dumping her body on a park bench has been found guilty of murder and rape. A boy who lured a 14-year-old girl to a park and inflicted "incomprehensible" violence upon her has been found guilty of murder and rape.
Viktorija Sokolova had her head "smashed in" and her lifeless body was found partially clothed in Wolverhampton's West Park on 12 April. Viktorija Sokolova's head was "smashed in" with a hammer-like object in a "sustained and ferocious" attack.
Her mother, who had to deny a hand in the murder, reported Viktorija missing the day before her body was found. Her lifeless, partially clothed body was found dumped on a bench in Wolverhampton's West Park the next day.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, had denied murder. The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, had denied the killing but was convicted after a three-week trial.
He admitted he met and had sex with Viktorija in the park on the night of 11 April, claiming it was "consensual". Jurors at Wolverhampton Crown Court unanimously found the defendant guilty of murder and rape, but were directed to clear him of a further charge of sexual penetration of a corpse.
Jurors at Wolverhampton Crown Court found him guilty of her rape and murder but not guilty of a further charge of sexual penetration of her corpse. Lithuanian-born Viktorija went to the park late at night on 11 April after her killer contacted her via Facebook Messenger, the court heard.
'Black house' rendezvous Once there, the pair met at a pavilion referred to as the "black house", where Viktorija was struck over the head at least 21 times, causing multiple fractures to her skull and spine.
Viktorija had been "subjected to a brutal and sustained attack and then dragged dead or dying to the park bench," where she was "left in a very undignified position, half-naked", Det Insp Caroline Corfield, from West Midlands Police, said. Cover-up attempt
Her body was discovered by a dog walker at about 07:00 BST. The man said he initially believed he had stumbled across a "prank" blow-up doll. The boy raped her and dragged her 150m across the park, where he left her draped over a bench.
The teenage killer used Facebook messenger to arrange to meet her the night of her death at a pavilion in the park referred to as the "black house". Police said the assault was so violent they found three of the schoolgirl's teeth in the blood-spattered pavilion.
After denying he had seen Viktorija for months, he eventually admitted having sex with her that night, but said she was "alive and well" when he left to go home. A dog walker found Viktorija's body the next morning, initially mistaking it for a blow-up doll left in the park as a "prank".
'Betray her trust' The court heard her killer had claimed the pair had consensual sex and she was "alive and well" when he left to go home.
In reality, he used "horrific" violence with a hammer-like weapon to deliver at least 21 blows to her head in a "sustained and ferocious attack", raped her and dragged her 150m across the park where he left her draped over a bench. But he was caught on CCTV as he attempted to cover up what he had done by hiding clothing, having deleted Facebook messages and hurled his victim's phone towards a lake.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC said her head had been "smashed in". His barristers had suggested Viktoria's parents may have played a part in her death, after it emerged microscopic traces of her stepfather's semen were found in her underwear.
Det Insp Corfield said the attack was "so violent we found three of her teeth in the pavilion" which was "heavily bloodstained". But the pair were eliminated from police inquiries at an early stage, and forensic experts suggested the transfer of her stepfather's DNA was via innocent means.
There was "nothing" in the defendant's background to suggest he would "commit a seriously violent act, let alone the inexplicable levels of violence involved in Viktorija's murder," she said.
The pair had been friends, she said, emphasising her killer was not a "faceless person" she met online.
"Viktorija could never have imagined someone she knew and trusted would betray her trust in the way he did," she said.
The teenager has been remanded in custody until 22 February for a pre-sentence report although Justice Jeremy Baker said there was "only one sentence" he could impose.The teenager has been remanded in custody until 22 February for a pre-sentence report although Justice Jeremy Baker said there was "only one sentence" he could impose.
During his defence the boy declined to take the witness stand - claiming to be suffering from learning difficulties - but Viktorija's mother, Karolina Valantiniene, and stepfather, Saidas Valantinas, had to deny they had murdered the teenager. Judge Baker said he was "obviously concerned as to the extreme nature of the offences in this case" and has ordered a pre-sentence psychiatric report.
Traces of Mr Valantinas' semen were found in the knickers Viktorija was wearing at the time of her death, alongside the semen of the offender and traces from a third, unidentified, man. 'I keep asking God why this happened'
During his defence Viktorija's killer declined to take the witness stand - claiming to be suffering from learning difficulties.
But his barristers accused her mother, Karolina Valantiniene, and stepfather, Saidas Valantinas, of murdering the teenager.
Traces of Mr Valantinas' semen were found in the underwear Viktorija was wearing when she died, alongside DNA from the offender and traces from a third, unidentified, man.
Mr Valantinas said he had no idea why his DNA was on her clothing and said the defence's argument was "unreasonable", "unsubstantiated", and "rude".Mr Valantinas said he had no idea why his DNA was on her clothing and said the defence's argument was "unreasonable", "unsubstantiated", and "rude".
The court also heard about his "turbulent" relationship with Viktorija, who was sent to live with her father in Northern Ireland for a couple of months because she repeatedly ran away.The court also heard about his "turbulent" relationship with Viktorija, who was sent to live with her father in Northern Ireland for a couple of months because she repeatedly ran away.
Jurors were told there was also a physical altercation between Viktorija and her mother the Sunday before her murder.Jurors were told there was also a physical altercation between Viktorija and her mother the Sunday before her murder.
However, evidence pointing to the teenager, including CCTV footage of him entering and leaving the park, footprints in Viktorija's blood matching his shoes, and his attempts to conceal evidence - particularly messages he sent to her - was enough to convince the jury. During the trial, Ms Valantinas said, the murderer never looked at her, "maybe because of him feeling ashamed".
'Go through life together'
Her mother said during the trial, the offender never looked at her, "maybe because of him feeling ashamed".
"This is beyond comprehension that something like that has happened to us," she said. "I keep asking God why and for what this happened to us.""This is beyond comprehension that something like that has happened to us," she said. "I keep asking God why and for what this happened to us."
She remembered her daughter as "brave", and added: "We as parents should go through life together with them." Det Insp Caroline Corfield There was "nothing" in the defendant's background to suggest he would "commit a seriously violent act, let alone the inexplicable levels of violence involved in Viktorija's murder," she said.
"Waiting for them to grow up and then for us to grow old," Mrs Valantiniene said. The pair had been friends, she said, emphasising her killer was not a "faceless person" she met online.
Judge Jeremy Baker said he was "obviously concerned as to the extreme nature of the offences in this case" and has ordered a pre-sentence psychiatric report for February. "Viktorija could never have imagined someone she knew and trusted would betray her trust in the way he did," she said.
Wolverhampton Safeguarding Board has said it would publish a serious case review next year looking at Viktorija's contact with the authorities "to establish whether any lessons can be learned".Wolverhampton Safeguarding Board has said it would publish a serious case review next year looking at Viktorija's contact with the authorities "to establish whether any lessons can be learned".