Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Teenager sentenced to minimum of 49 years in prison

  1. Killer 'wanted to be famous' for the massacrepublished at 13:03 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    The prosecutor is now outlining how Prosper told the practitioner that he did not hate his family, but he "wanted to be famous".

    He showed the member of staff how he would shoot himself after the school massacre.

    After about an hour, the practitioner felt she had heard too much and ended the review they were undertaking.

  2. 'Biggest massacre in the 21st century' was plannedpublished at 12:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    More of Prosper's confessions are being read to the court. Warning - they continue to be graphic in their nature.

    Prosper told the medical practitioner that he wanted to shoot and rape Giselle, but his mum "messed it up" by waking up.

    His brother hid in the kitchen and "began pleading for his life" during the attacks.

    He outlined his plan to go to the primary school, but said that was "messed up" by neighbours hearing the gunshots.

    Cray says: "He wanted to cause the biggest massacre in the 21st Century."

  3. Murders were planned on Friday the 13th so they would have 'a good name'published at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    We're now hearing comments Prosper made to a medical practitioner at HMP Bedford, where he has been held.

    On 17 September 2024, he whispered to her during a review "I wish I had killed more".

    Other comments included:

    • He had planned to kill his Mum and two siblings over a year ago
    • He detailed how his plan was to go to a primary school and kill, specifically, the four year olds
    • He wanted to cause a massacre more deadly than the Sandy Hook shooting in America, killing 34 people in total including his mum, brother, sister and himself
    • He went to meet the gun seller with a knife as he was "scared it was going to go wrong"
    • He said the killings were planned for Friday the 13th so it had "a good name on it".
    • He tested the gun on a teddy bear and it took "two minutes for his ears to clear from the noise"
  4. 'Are you capable of what I have done?', asks killerpublished at 12:46 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Two police officers returning to Luton police station from the scene were flagged down by Prosper at about 07:55, Cray says.

    During his arrest, he repeatedly told them "it wasn't murder", having shown the officers where the shotgun and cartridges were hidden.

    Prosper told officers he had been stung by stinging nettles and his hands were cut, and asked them: "How did you get into armed police?"

    Once at the police station at 09:10, he made a number of unsolicited comments in his cell, including "are you capable of what I have done?" and "there was no choice, I had to do it".

  5. Killer covers his ears as video of him is playedpublished at 12:42 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Nicola Haseler
    BBC News

    Prosper had his fingers in his ears while that pre-recorded video of him was being shown to the court just now. He then puts his head in his hands.

  6. Prosper uploaded a pre-recorded video after the murderspublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Nicholas Prosper wearing glasses and a yellow bucket hat in his kitchen. This image is a screen grab from a YouTube video.Image source, YouTube
    Image caption,

    Prosper uploaded a video online after carrying out the murders

    The court is now being told that Prosper uploaded a video online after the murders, at about 06:22.

    That video had been recorded the day before, indicating "forethought", Cray explains.

    In the video, he referred to The Walking Dead video game and suggested he planned to shoot Giselle in the face.

    However, Cray says Prosper was not "solely or even mainly motivated" by the video game. This, he says, is clear due to his research of mass killers.

  7. Prosecutor outlines horrific injuries suffered by the victimspublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Blood was found throughout the flat in the form of handprints, smeared blood and airborne blood, the prosecutor says.

    Kyle, 16, was shot twice, initially in the kitchen, and suffered slash wounds to his hands, arms and legs.

    "[It was] as if he had been using his hands and limbs to protect the vital areas of his body from knife blows," Cray says, adding Kyle suffered more than 100 stab wounds.

    "The shot that killed him was to his head and that had been fired at close range."

    Juliana's body was found in the hallway and she died from a gunshot wound to the top of her head. The 48-year-old also had defensive injuries.

    Giselle,13, was found in the living room, with the fatal shot fired at her face.

    "Experts believe that the defendant fired at least seven cartridges inside the flat, Cray continues.

    "One of these appears to have been a test firing inside the defendant’s room against a teddy bear."

  8. Killer looks intently at reconstructed crime scene imagespublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Nicola Haseler
    BBC News

    The court has just been shown images of dummies laid out in the same way that Prosper's victims were found.

    This captured the defendant's attention - he peered over to look closely at these.

  9. Support available for anyone affected by this storypublished at 12:27 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    A reminder that as we continue to hear this distressing evidence, there is support available for anyone affected on the BBC Action Line.

    We will continue bringing updates as they come from court.

  10. Family died after a 'prolonged, violent struggle' - prosecutorpublished at 12:26 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    "What the neighbours had been hearing was the killing of Juliana, Kyle and Giselle, starting around 05:00," Cray continues.

    He says the forensic scientists who entered the flat found Prosper had "shot dead the three members of his family after a prolonged, violent struggle."

    Prosper was seen by another Leabank neighbour at about 05:40. It was "pitch black" and Prosper was wearing a black top with its hood up, Cray says.

  11. Neighbour heard 'banging, ruffling and groaning' from inside flatpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    The prosecutor is now telling the court about how neighbours heard the attack in Leabank.

    A woman who lived below the family heard banging that "sounded heavy and like people fighting" shortly after 05:00.

    Cray says the neighbour decided to go upstairs and ask them to be quiet. When she arrived, she heard "banging and ruffling noises", as well as a boy groaning.

    After knocking a third time, she heard a "big bang like a gunshot" and she fled to her bedroom.

    Another neighbour said it sounded like someone's throat was being cut.

  12. Disturbing internet searches are read to courtpublished at 12:21 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Cray says Prosper was "continuously" on his phone from 00:00 to 04:00 on the morning of the murders.

    He searched online for "shotgun injuries to the neck" and other search terms, such as:

    • What will happen on 13th September?
    • Do you die if shot in the neck?
    • Does sex with a corpse feel good
    • Man shoots woman in the head at close range
    • Woman raped and killed
    • How lethal are neck gunshots

    Cray says he also researched the murder of Sarah Everard.

  13. No reaction from the killer as his plans are exposedpublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Brian Farmer
    Reporting from Luton Crown Court

    Prosper is continuing to look down and around in the dock while the evidence continues.

    His arms are folded and he is flanked by a security guard.

    He shows no reaction as the court hears full details of his plans.

  14. Prosper was 'polite and well-speaking' to gun sellerpublished at 12:14 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    When interviewed by the police, the gun seller said he met Prosper in the car park of Leabanks.

    He described the defendant as "polite and well-speaking" and "reasonable", and said he checked his shotgun certificate.

    Prosper then paid him £650, plus £30 petrol money, Cray says. In return, the seller handed him the gun and 100 shotgun cartridges.

    In the week that followed, Prosper searched online for St Joseph's and checked the advance weather forecast.

  15. Gun seller was thanked by Prosper for his assistancepublished at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Prosper went on to tweak his forged shotgun certificate, using the signature of a sergeant in Bedfordshire Police's firearms unit.

    He messaged another seller on 30 August, who was advertising a shotgun online for £450. Prosper offered to pay him £600 if cartridges were included, Cray says.

    Prosper told him "he was a serious buyer and would be able to travel down" to where the seller lived to pay for it, cash in hand.

    In a message to the seller, Prosper wrote: "Thank you for your corporation, [Sic] and please, since you’re the one making the journey, do be honest as I’d hate to make things more difficult for you."

    The seller agreed to meet him on 12 September, with Prosper replying: "Sounds great! I’ve been investing so I wouldn’t mind throwing in some extra gas money as thanks."

  16. Murderer had an 'obsession with mass killers'published at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    The prosecutor says Prosper had an "obsession with mass killers".

    One harrowing detail that has just emerged is that he emailed a woman whose child had been murdered, asking to see pictures of them.

    Towards the end of August 2024, he emailed a man who was selling a double-barrelled shotgun online for £150.

    Despite the asking price, Prosper offered the seller £500 - making him suspicious and ultimately avoiding the sale.

  17. Killer practised shooting with a piece of woodpublished at 12:04 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    The judge has just been shown footage of Prosper appearing to practise shooting with a piece of wood.

    On 12 June 2024, he downloaded a blank firearms certificate and went about forging his own one.

    Cray says this was "crucial" in order to deceive someone into selling him a gun.

  18. Prosper purchased 'distinctive' outfit for notorietypublished at 12:00 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    We're now hearing how Prosper booked a session at a gun club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on 15 September 2023.

    He later admitted he had been thinking about mass killing for more than a year, but his plans stalled because he did not know how to get hold of a firearm.

    In April 2024, he purchased a "distinctive" pair of black and yellow shoes for his attacks.

    "This was, to his logic, a way that his acts might be remembered amongst the ranks of other notorious killers," Cray says.

  19. Defendant viewed images of notorious murderers online as he planned attackspublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    It was in autumn 2023 that Prosper's internet history suggested he was planning a school shooting, Cray says.

    He was found to have viewed images of notorious murders and rapists, as well of numerous school shooting scenes.

    Prosper was showing a "deep alienation from normal life and interest in the darkest sides of humanity", Cray adds

  20. Killer has an 'extreme lack of empathy' for otherspublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 March

    Nicola Haseler
    BBC News

    At school, Prosper was a quiet, introverted boy who had a small group of friends and was interested in computers.

    He didn’t engage with others, and didn’t want people invading his personal space.

    Teachers thought he was on the autism spectrum; his mum and dad tried to get him help, but he refused to see the GP to get a referral.

    The psychiatrist who assessed him said he had undiagnosed autism, but that’s not what drove him to do this. They said he had an extreme lack of empathy for others, rather than an impairment.