Teenage boy acquitted of murder and manslaughter after killing girl

[StarlightRobot]

Is anyone else baffled by the acquittal of a teenage boy who stabbed and killed nine year old Aria Thorpe. I can vaguely understand the acquittal for murder but how on earth has he been acquitted for manslaughter? He got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her in the cheat while she was eating her dinner for goodness’ sake! Then he left her bleeding to death and hid on a train. It’s another example of the lives of girls just not mattering.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9320y90lnno

*stabbed in chest, not cheat

Your question suggests that criminal trials aren’t necessary?

Where in my post do I suggest that criminal trials are unnecessary? 🙄The post indicates that I am baffled by the verdict. This warrants attention.

I was surprised to hear this on the news just now. Going to see what the rationale was.

The jury heard the evidence and only took two hours to come to their verdict, so they must have felt that, based on the evidence and the legal advice they received, that it was fairly clear cut.

What do you think you know that they don't?

Juries are supposed to assess the evidence and come to a verdict based on that. Given that the boy admitted stabbing her, it feels like another example of the criminal justice system not working for women. Wasn't there a plan to get rid of juries in cases of violence against women because of the low conviction rate?

The article explains quite a lot.
A jury heard the evidence and came to a verdict based on that.

The boy's identity is protected, if people keep identifying him by his relationship to the child, this thread will disappear.

@Purpleandping I agree the relationship and identity of the boy who killed her is not known and we do not need to speculate about that

@AWeeCupOfTeaAndAnIndividualFruitTrifle

It is the boy who later said they were play fighting but there is no one else who can confirm that.

This is part of the article about it on the Times which is worth reading if you can get past the paywall:

‘Aria was eating pizza on the sofa when the boy picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed her in the living room. He left her bleeding to death at 5.55pm. He put on a coat and was caught on CCTV walking to a nearby railway station in an attempt to flee the area.’

The police then found him crouched down on a train.

I guess the jury, having heard all the evidence decided there was reasonable doubt that it was anything more than an accident.

The only explanation I can think of would be if she ran/jumped into him during a play fight without noticing the knife? That would mean he didn't actively stab her, though surely even holding a weapon would make it make it manslaughter?

It's frustrating that more details don't seem to be available. I understand the courts need to protect minors but without clarity it's impossible to avoid doubts about the justice system (and if there isn't a bloody good reason for the innocent verdict, people deserve to know so that they can fight for changes in how violent crimes are treated).

More from the Times (more detail than the BBC):

’The boy claimed several times that he and Aria were “play fighting” when he “jabbed” the knife towards her in an “effort to scare her and he expected her to flinch”. Tully said the boy claimed Aria “moved towards him and was fatally wounded” after impaling herself on the knife.

The boy asked to borrow the phone of another boy at the station to search for something. Police later found he had searched “what happens if you kill someone”.

A 14-year-old girl at the station discreetly called police and officers raced to the platform, managing to stop a train the boy had boarded just as it began to pull away. He was found crouching in a carriage and arrested‘

It does sound off but the bbc article is confusing as soundsl ike play fighting but the context of school issues, truancy etc etc that day, having phone removed do maoe it potentially more. If it was accident the cps shouldnt have gove for prosecution?
Whilst above age of responsibility would that maybe more over intentional harm. I would hope he is /was being seen as having some sen?
Potentially holding kids in mainstream too long is doing families harm as no support and exclusion can be sudden.

The boy did not call 999. He ran away, hid on a train and left her to die.

This is much more detailed.

Teenage boy, 16, is found not guilty of killing Aria Thorpe, nine mol.im/a/15929595 via https://dailym.ai/android

How is threatening somebody with a knife accidental? An accident would be if he was chopping veg and she leapt onto the kitchen worktop (unlikely but that kind of thing).

If people really want to know details rather. than speculate, court transcripts will be available idc. There's no secrecy, it's all public info if you want it.