Manchester boys who killed 14-year-old army cadet jailed for life

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the 15-year-old admitted stabbing Nathaniel in the neck but claimed in court he was acting in self-defence.

The force added that the 14-year-old boy “encouraged” the other boy to fatally injure Nathaniel.

The teenager was found seriously injured at around 18:00 BST and “despite the best efforts” of the public, police and paramedics died in hospital.

A police investigation of hundreds of hours of CCTV and phone data revealed incriminating conversations on social media and a full timeline of events leading up to the murder, GMP said.

The department’s Chief Inspector Gina Brennand said the boy’s family “will never get over this tragic loss of life”.

She added: “On the night of the murder, Nathaniel was ironing his cadet uniform and polishing his boots, something he was extremely proud of, before he left the house and never returned.”