'My son's killers should be named - not protected'

Owen Dunn died from a single stab wound to the heart

The grieving mother of a murdered teenager is calling for a change in the law to allow young people convicted of murder to be named.

Owen Dunn died at the age of 18 from a single stab wound in Swindon in December 2022.

Tyler Hunt, 18, and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were found guilty of his murder by a jury at Bristol Crown Court.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said judges may restrict identifying a defendant under 18 years old in a crown court case "in the interests of the child's welfare". It added there is no automatic anonymity for children involved in crown court proceedings.

The teenagers were caught on CCTV fleeing the scene

The MOJ spokesperson added: "The murder of Owen Dunn was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with his friends and family.

“While there is no automatic anonymity for children involved in Crown Court proceedings, judges may choose to restrict identification in the interests of the child’s welfare.”

Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 allows the criminal court to prevent the publication of a defendant under the age of 18.

The court must be satisfied that the welfare of the young person outweighs the public interest in open justice.

Mr Dunn was cycling through a park when he was attacked by the two balaclava-clad youths wielding machetes.

The teenagers dropped their bikes to block the path before trying to "slash" Mr Dunn in the chest.

Mr Dunn suffered one wound just below the armpit, which punctured his heart. He bled to death within the hour.

"He went out to see his girlfriend at quarter past one in the afternoon, and I never saw him again," said Ms Mitchell.

Zoe Mitchell wants the justice system to be "looked at"

"The justice system needs to be looked at. I believe that if a child kills someone, regardless of their age, they should be named, not protected," she said.

"In my son's case the younger one was not named, but I think if you take someone's life you should be named."

Owen's grandmother, Patricia Aldred, said he was a "lovely lad"

Hunt, of Park South, was sentenced to a minimum term of 19 years in prison while the 15-year-old was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

But Patricia Aldred, Mr Dunn's maternal grandmother, believes the punishment did not fit the crime.

"It was absolutely heartbreaking, the sentence. I didn't agree with it at all, they'll only serve half," she added.

Ms Aldred said her grandson had been a "lovely lad" who cared for people, and was robbed of the future he deserved.

"Owen was my world. It's destroyed part of me, I'm just climbing back up from where I was," Ms Aldred continued.

"We all say our families are lovely but he radiated happiness, and his smile, he was too beautiful."