Teen Jailed For 'Sexual And Sadistic' Murder

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A teenager has been jailed for a minimum of 25 years for the murder of a 14-year-old boy who he met online while playing video games.

Lewis Daynes, 19, befriended Breck Bednar over the internet and lured him to a property in Essex.

It is believed the computer engineer had bound Breck's wrists and ankles with duct tape before stabbing him in the neck.

Following the killing, Daynes took pictures of his victim's body and sent them to online acquaintances before calling police.

The judge, Mrs Justice Cox, said she was "sure this murder was driven by sexual and sadistic motivation", adding that Daynes had "groomed this boy over a lengthy period of time" and had "intended to kill him".

Two months before Breck died, his mother, Lorin LaFave, had called Surrey Police - concerned over Daynes's increasingly controlling online behaviour. The family has now lodged a complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

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Gallery: Video Game Murder Evidence Released

On the day Breck Bednar was visiting Lewis Daynes, the killer suggested that he lied to his parents about where he was going, and emailed an elaborate cover story

Daynes had created a web of lies to "influence, coerce and control vulnerable teenage boys"

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The computer engineer had promised the 14-year-old a prominent position in his "business empire"

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To gain Breck's trust, Daynes promised an £85m payment once they had met up

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It is believed the computer engineer had bound Breck's wrists and ankles with this duct tape before stabbing him in the neck

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In a statement outside Chelmsford Crown Court, the Crown Prosecution Service added: "Lewis Daynes, even though he was only 18 when he committed Breck's murder, was a controlling and manipulative individual who carefully planned this crime.

"He groomed Breck online using their shared interest in computer games and over a period of months he manipulated Breck, turning him against his family.

"The degree of planning and manipulation by Daynes is shocking and when you consider the young ages of perpetrator and victim, it stands out as one of the most cruel, violent and unusual cases we have dealt with."

After sentencing, it emerged that Daynes had faced previous allegations of rape and attempted rape in 2011, but officers investigating the case decided not to take further action.

Following his arrest for Breck's murder, Daynes said to officers: "I should have known better than to go for an artery on a friend."

In the days after Breck's death, a person claiming to be his cousin posted a message on Facebook saying he had gone on to the web after struggling to make friends.

Daynes, who went by the online name EagleOneSix, had promised Breck "great wealth" through a fictional computer software business.

Breck's mother, Lorin LaFave, said she was "heartbroken and lost" by her son's death, adding the emotional impact had affected her hearing, her sense of smell and her eyesight.

Ms LaFaye said she felt "weakened from this horrible tragedy" but wanted to warn others of the dangers of online predators and save others from "the pure evil in this world".

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