Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Teenager sentenced to minimum of 49 years in prison

  1. Nicholas Prosper arrives in courtpublished at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time

    Nicholas Prosper entered the court and sat with his head in his hands and the judge has started talking.

    Prosper has stood up to confirm his name while looking at the floor.

    The start of the hearing had been delayed after he refused to attend court.

  2. Judge enters court to begin sentencingpublished at 12:13 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brian Farmer
    Luton Crown Court

    Relatives of Nicholas Prosper are taking their seats in Court 5, as the judge takes her seat.

    Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb will begin passing sentence any moment now.

    You can watch the judge deliver her remarks by clicking the video at the top of this page.

    A reminder that some of the content she discusses could contain graphic or distressing detail.

  3. Watch: The moment triple murderer bought a gun in a car parkpublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time

    At the top of this feed, we've pinned footage of Prosper buying the shotgun he used to carry out the murders.

    Prosecutor Timothy Cray KC told the court yesterday that Prosper deceived a gun seller online by forging a shotgun licence.

    The killer paid £650 plus £30 petrol money to the man for the shotgun and 100 cartridges.

    On Tuesday, the court was told he considered stabbing the seller and taking the gun, but decided not to as it meant the man's wife would have witnessed it.

    Media caption,

    Nicholas Prosper filmed buying gun day before killing family

  4. All parties kept waiting as sentencing delay continuespublished at 11:37 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brian Farmer
    Luton Crown Court

    Journalists gathered outside Court 5 at Luton Crown Court are still waiting for an update on when Prosper might arrive from prison.

    The proceedings were meant to start at 10:30, but the judge delayed this by an hour after Prosper refused to leave his custody cell.

    Now 11:30 has come and gone, and we're still hanging about.

    A court official is providing updates and says reporters will be told when the judge is ready to start.

  5. Prosper could become youngest ever to be given a whole life orderpublished at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time

    The Ministry of Justice has told us that Prosper would be the youngest defendant to ever receive a whole life order, if one was imposed on the 19-year-old as part of his mandatory life sentence.

    It has only been legal in England and Wales for people aged between 18 and 20 to receive these orders since 2022.

  6. In full: Victim impact statement from the murderer's dadpublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time

    A composite image of Juliana Falcon, Kyle Prosper and Giselle Prosper. Juliana has her brown hair in plaits and is wearing a blue T-shirt outside. Kyle is wearing a black shirt and tan suit jacket. Giselle has brown and blonde plaits and is wearing a pink jumper. All three are smiling.Image source, Bedfordshire Police
    Image caption,

    Juliana Falcon, 48, Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, were murdered at their home by Nicholas Prosper

    We heard from the killer's father, Ray Prosper, for the first time yesterday, as his victim impact statement was read by the prosecutor to the court.

    Here it is in full:

    "My name is Raymond Prosper and I am the former husband of Juliana Falcon and the father of Kyle, Giselle and Nicholas Prosper.

    "I make this as my victim personal statement to convey the impact that this tragic incident has had on our lives.

    "The pain of our loss will never be healed. This includes my whole family; our lives will never be the same.

    "For me personally, when I heard the horrific news on that day, part of my soul died too. This is a lose-lose situation for us all and we have lost four family members.

    "We would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation and for supporting us through this difficult time.

    "We would also like to thank the wider community who have been tremendously supportive and generous with donations to help with funeral arrangements.

    "We know that this awful incident has affected others as well as ourselves, but we now want to be able to grieve and to try and move on as a family in private."

  7. Extra courtroom opened to deal with demand from journalistspublished at 11:02 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brian Farmer
    Luton Crown Court

    It's getting busy here in Court 5, with about 25 journalists and a handful of police officers waiting outside the courtroom.

    An overflow room is being set up in Court 3 for reporters so they can follow the proceedings from there, such is the demand.

    Since being told the sentencing would begin at 11:30, we've not heard anything else.

  8. What happened in court on Tuesday?published at 10:48 Greenwich Mean Time

    For any readers joining us for the first time, here's what we heard in court yesterday:

    • Nicholas Prosper, 19, used a shotgun to murder his mum, Juliana Falcon, and siblings Kyle, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, at their flat in Luton, Bedfordshire, in September
    • Having murdered them, Prosper planned to kill 30 children in a school shooting to gain "lasting notoriety as a mass killer", choosing Friday 13th as an attack date and even wearing a "distinctive" outfit to be remembered by
    • Prosper researched massacres online but wanted his attempt to be "one of the biggest events ever", having forged a shotgun certificate to purchase his weapon and ammunition for £650
    • He was caught by police two and a half hours after the attacks on his family as he walked along a nearby road
    • Prosper, who was described as "geeky" and socially awkward, held his head in his hands as his plans were read to the court
    • In mitigation, his barrister said "something went very wrong" with Prosper and he went down an internet "wormhole"
    • Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned sentencing until today so she could give more consideration to what prison term to impose.
    • The mandatory term for murder is life, but the judge will have to consider whether to set a "whole life order", meaning Prosper will never be freed, or a minimum time period before he can be considered for release on parole
    • More information about whole life orders can be found on the government's website, external
  9. Judge's sentencing remarks to be broadcast livepublished at 10:29 Greenwich Mean Time

    When the judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb starts delivering her sentencing remarks, we will be streaming her comments live and you can watch them by clicking the play button that will appear at the top of this page.

    Warning: Some of the judge's speech is likely to contain distressing detail.

    Having TV cameras in court is a relatively new phenomenon in England and Wales, with legislation first laid before Parliament in 2020.

    It is usually only permitted in the most serious, high-profile criminal cases and only the judge's remarks are broadcast - you cannot see the rest of the courtroom.

  10. Judge takes control and demands Prosper attendspublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time

    Brian Farmer
    Luton Crown Court

    Luton Crown Court - a modern brick building with a circular vertical section and green window framesImage source, South Beds News Agency

    This is the second time in a week that we've had a high-profile murderer decline to attend their sentencing.

    Last week, crossbow killer Kyle Clifford refused to leave his prison cell as he was sentenced for the triple murders of Carol, Louise and Hannah Hunt at Bushey, near Watford.

    Now Nicholas Prosper is doing the same.

    He looked visibly uncomfortable at times during yesterday's hearing, blocking his ears and putting his head in his hands.

    On this occasion, the sentencing judge is demanding that he's brought into the dock.

  11. Prosper has refused to attend sentencingpublished at 10:14 Greenwich Mean Time
    Breaking

    Nicholas Prosper has refused to attend his sentencing this morning, a court official has just announced.

    Journalists waiting outside Court 5 at Luton Crown Court were told the judge has demanded his attendance, and ordered he is brought to the court.

    We're expecting the case to be delayed by about an hour until 11:30 as a result.

    More as we get it.

  12. Prosper wanted to become the UK's deadliest mass school shooterpublished at 10:10 Greenwich Mean Time

    Nicholas Prosper wears a black and yellow hoodie as he holds a plank of wood. He is aiming the wood as if it is a gun and he is standing in a kitchen, next to a fridge.Image source, Bedfordshire Police
    Image caption,

    Nicholas Prosper filmed a video of himself practising shooting with a wooden plank prior to the murders

    Perhaps the most chilling line that came out of yesterday's hearing was this: Nicholas Prosper wanted to become the deadliest mass school killer the UK has seen.

    Prosper planned to kill his mother and siblings in their sleep, but they were disturbed before he could do so and neighbours in the tower block heard the violence that ensued. They then raised the alarm.

    That meant the murderer had to flee the family home and hide in a nearby road, where he was later spotted by police and arrested.

    Luton Crown Court heard yesterday that had Prosper's plan gone as he desired, he would have had a better chance of making it to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, about two miles away.

    There, he wanted to carry out an unimaginable massacre of early years children and their teachers.

    This had all been calculated by Prosper, who created a distinctive yellow and black uniform for the attacks and plotted them for Friday 13th.

    It was a date he felt would only add to his notoriety, given its "unlucky" status.

  13. What will happen in court today?published at 09:51 Greenwich Mean Time

    If you’re not familiar with the court system – or did not catch our coverage yesterday – here’s what’s likely to happen today.

    The BBC has reporters in court, and there is huge wider interest with the court full of journalists from other broadcasters and national newspapers.

    Yesterday, we heard the prosecution read out the facts of the case and the defence offering mitigation on Prosper’s behalf.

    The mandatory sentence for murder is life imprisonment, but the judge will have to set a minimum term that Nicholas Prosper must serve before he can be considered for release on parole.

    In some cases, the judge can hand down a "whole-life tariff" - a case of "life meaning life" with no chance of parole. Last week, the Bushey crossbow killer Kyle Clifford was given a whole-life term for killing his ex-partner, her sister and her mother in Hertfordshire.

    Judge Mrs Cheema-Grubb is due to resume the sentencing hearing at 10:30, where she will sum up the case and then announce how long Prosper will spend in prison.

  14. The older sibling who became a callous triple murdererpublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time

    Custody mugshot of Nicholas Prosper. He has curly black hair and is wearing black glasses. He has a serious expression on his face.Image source, Bedfordshire Police
    Image caption,

    Nicholas Prosper has been remanded in custody since the murders last September

    Yesterday we heard how 19-year-old Prosper forged a firearms certificate so he could purchase a shotgun on 12 September 2024.

    In the early hours of the next day, he used the weapon to murder his 48-year-old mother Juliana Falcon, his brother Kyle, 16, and his 13-year-old sister Giselle.

    Having heard gunshots, neighbours alerted the police – who caught Prosper walking along a nearby road at about 07:55.

    This all took place in and around the Leabank block of flats where they lived, in the Marsh Farm area of Luton.

    After being caught, Prosper later admitted to a prison nurse that he was planning to commit a mass shooting at his former primary school later that morning.

    He was taken to custody before being charged with:

    • Three counts of murder
    • Possession of a knife/blade in a public place
    • Purchasing or acquiring a shotgun without a certificate
    • Possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life

    Prosper admitted all the offences at a hearing in February.

    An inquest at Bedford Coroner's Court in October heard all three of the victims died from gunshot wounds to the head.

  15. Judge to sentence family murderer Nicholas Prosper todaypublished at 09:34 Greenwich Mean Time

    A police car parked in front of three large, blue blocks of flats on a sunny day.Image source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    The attacks took place at a flat in the Marsh Farm area of Luton last September

    Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the sentencing of Nicholas Prosper, who murdered his mum and teenage siblings at their home in Luton in September.

    The sentencing hearing began at Luton Crown Court on Tuesday, but was adjourned so judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb could give more thought to the sentence she would impose.

    We’re expecting the hearing to resume at 10:30, when we will bring you the key details on this page.

    We should warn you that the content coming from the courtroom is likely to contain some distressing details.

  16. Sentencing to resume on Wednesdaypublished at 16:21 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    We are now ending our coverage from the sentencing of Nicholas Prosper and will resume tomorrow.

    From 10:30 GMT, judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb will begin passing sentence upon the 19-year-old defendant.

    As we heard earlier, Prosper wanted to become the worst mass school shooter the UK has ever seen.

    He plotted the attack in Luton last September, having already murdered his mum and teenage siblings - offences he admitted last month.

    If you have been affected by any of the distressing content coming from court today, support is available via BBC Action Line.

    We'll be back tomorrow with the latest updates from Luton Crown Court.

  17. In full: Victim impact statement written by the murderer's dadpublished at 16:08 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    We can now share with you the victim impact statement of Ray Prosper, which was read to the court a short while ago.

    "My name is Raymond Prosper and I am the former husband of Juliana Falcon and the father of Kyle, Giselle and Nicholas Prosper.

    "I make this as my victim personal statement to convey the impact that this tragic incident has had on our lives.

    "The pain of our loss will never be healed. This includes my whole family; our lives will never be the same.

    "For me personally, when I heard the horrific news on that day, part of my soul died too. This is a lose-lose situation for us all and we have lost four family members.

    "We would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation and for supporting us through this difficult time.

    "We would also like to thank the wider community who have been tremendously supportive and generous with donations to help with funeral arrangements.

    "We know that this awful incident has affected others as well as ourselves, but we now want to be able to grieve and to try and move on as a family in private."

  18. Timeline of Prosper's plan to murder his family and kill schoolchildrenpublished at 15:39 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    • August 2023 - Booking made at a shooting range but didn't show up
    • April 2024 - Became a member of Gun Trader UK
    • June 2024 - Began research into faking a firearms certificate
    • July 2024 - Starts researching St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, where he'd attended
    • August 2024 - Tries to buy a gun but fails
    • 30 August - Contacts another gun seller, offering £600 for a gun and cartridges
    • 31 August - Further researches on the school
    • 12 September - Gun seller meets him at Leabank and he purchases the weapon and ammunition for £650
    • 13 September - Murders his mum and siblings at 05:00, before being arrested by police at about 07:55
    • 17 September - Discloses to prison nurse his plan had been to carry out a school shooting
  19. Killer wanted to join a video game character in deathpublished at 15:32 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    A young cartoon character grips a gun and looks scared. She is wearing a pink jumper and is standing in front of a boarded up window.Image source, Telltale Games
    Image caption,

    Clementine is a fictional character in The Walking Dead video game

    We heard some more detail in court earlier about Prosper's growing obsession with a video game character called Clementine.

    The child featured in a video game inspired by The Walking Dead, a series set in the wake of a zombie apocalypse.

    Speaking to a prison nurse, Prosper said he would kill himself after committing the school shooting he planned.

    Then he would be able to go to Clementine and join her, he claimed.

    Prosper explained Clementine was a "friend" in the video game and that "he had been friends with her for some time", the prosecutor said earlier.

    In a video posted after the killings, Prosper spoke to the camera, saying: "I am the chosen one; chosen by Clementine. I am guided as Christians are guided by Jesus Christ."

  20. What happened in court today?published at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    For any readers who may have missed our coverage so far, here is a recap:

    • Nicholas Prosper, 19, used a shotgun to murder his mum, Juliana Falcon, and siblings Kyle, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, at their flat in Luton, Bedfordshire, in September
    • Having murdered them, Prosper planned to execute 30 children in a school shooting to gain "lasting notoriety as a mass killer", choosing Friday the 13th as an attack date and even wearing a "distinctive" outfit to be remembered by
    • Prosper researched massacres online but wanted his attempt to be "one of the biggest events ever", having forged a shotgun certificate to purchase his weapon and ammunition for £650
    • He was caught by police two-and-a-half hours after the attacks as he walked along a nearby road
    • Prosper, who was described as "geeky" and socially awkward, held his head in his hands as his plans were read to the court
    • In mitigation, his barrister said "something went very wrong" with Prosper and he went down an internet "wormhole"
    • Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned sentencing until 10:30 GMT on Wednesday so she could consider what prison term to impose.