SCHOOLBOY Olly Stephens was stabbed to death in a park near his home when he was just 13 years old in January 2021.
Two teenagers were found guilty of his murder, while a third admitted manslaughter — the case will feature on Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids, Thursday 8th May, 2025 on Channel 5.
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Who killed Olly Stephens?
Two 14-year-old boys, one of whom was 13 at the time of the killing, were convicted of Olly’s murder following a trial at Reading Crown Court in the summer of 2021.
The pair were sentenced on September 24, 2021, to 12 and 13 years respectively in a young offender institution.
A girl who set up the “ambush” had already admitted manslaughter and did not stand trial.
She was 13 when Olly was killed, and was originally given three years and two months, but her term was increased to five years after appeal judges decided the initial sentence was unduly lenient.
The three convicted teens cannot be named for legal reasons.
What happened to Olly Stephens?
Olly was tricked into coming to Bugs Bottom field where he was stabbed to death in a frenzied ambush by two other boys on January 3, 2021.
The attack took place just a stone’s throw from his home in Reading, Berkshire.
Jurors were told his killers had shared several hostile messages about him on messaging app Snapchat in the days leading up to the stabbing.
Coming face-to-face with his son’s killers in court in September 2021, Olly’s dad Stuart relived the horrifying moment he sprinted to find his son dying.
He said: “The cruel actions of a vain selfish girl has led to Olly being trapped and slain.
[Ollie] was hilariously funny, charming and beautiful
Ollie’s family
“The day she walked into his life is a day we will forever regret.
“We as a family hold all three of you equally accountable for his death, there will be no forgiveness from us, ever.
“We are no longer the people we were and we will never be the same again.”
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How Olly is being remembered
In the wake of Olly’s passing, Reading Rugby Football Club host an annual match in his memory against Reading Abbey under-14s – both teams Olly played for.
Reading Abbey’s club chair, Sam Wallis-Robinson told the BBC: “It is an amazing event, it not only gives us the opportunity to remember Olly but also for the kids to take stock of knife crime and the impact it really does have on society.
“I was a London Irish season ticket holder and we used to see him and his dad at London Irish all the time.
“The whole family, particularly Stuart and Olly, were big rugby fans.”
Ms Wallis-Robinson reflected on the seriousness of what happened to Olly and all too familiar nature of it.
She continued: “”It is real, it does happen and it can happen to anybody. Events like this do give people the opportunity to reflect.”
The two sides have now competed for the Olly Stephens Memorial Cup for four years.
A mural has also been painted at Emmer Green Primary School – Olly’s former school – which was based on a photo of Olly on his first day of school.
Where are his killers now?
The court was told the two boys had “grievances” with Olly, while the girl described any violence against him as “karma” in the run-up to his death.
The younger of the two boys, who was aged 13 at the time, inflicted the fatal blows on Olly’s body.
Olly’s family revealed that the 13-year-old had autism, as well as suspected pathological demand avoidance, a profile that also sits on the autism spectrum.
They paid tribute to the teenager in a statement issued by Thames Valley Police on January 5, 2021.
It said: “Oliver was an enigma, having both Autism and suspected Pathological Demand Avoidance he became a challenge we never shied away from.
“He was hilariously funny, charming and beautiful.”
The three teens involved in his death are still in young offender institutions.
The older boy has a minimum of eight years left to serve while the younger boy has nine.
After having her sentence increased, the girl has another year left to serve.