999 call: transcript

A drunken 15-year-old boy kicked and stamped a young woman to death because she was dressed as a Goth, a court heard today.

The teenager was part of a five-strong gang, who acted “like a pack of wild animals” as they “savagely and mercilessly” attacked Sophie Lancaster, 20, and her boyfriend, a jury was told.

The boy, whose trial for murder began today at Preston Crown Court, was accused of starting the violence, with a flying kick to the head of Robert Maltby, Miss Lancaster's 21-year-old boyfriend.

The jury heard that the gang, “encouraging each other and laughing”, then punched, stamped and jumped on the art student's head until he was unconscious.

Michael Shorrock, QC, opening the case for the prosecution, said that Miss Lancaster, a gap-year student, pleaded with them to stop.

Witnesses to the attack, which took place last August in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, Lancashire, told police that she tried to pull them away.

But as she kneeled down, cradling her boyfriend’s head on her lap and calling for help, the accused and another teen, who has already pleaded guilty to murder, turned on her.

The second boy, aged 15 at the time, kicked her in the head. The accused joined in to kick and stamp on her head, the court heard. None of the teenagers involved can be named because of their age.

One witness, a 15-year-old boy who had tried to stop the violence, told police: “It looked like they were running over and just kicking her in the head, jumping up and down on their head or summat...they were kicking her all over her head.”

Miss Lancaster and Mr Maltby, both from Bacup, had been walking home from a friend’s house shortly before midnight when they “fell into conversation” with a group of teenagers.

The conversation was good-natured, with Miss Lancaster handing out cigarettes, but after the group “drifted” into the darkened park the five teenage boys within the group turned “suddenly and without warning or any provocation” on Mr Maltby, Mr Shorrock said.

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