Olly Stephens: Girl's sentence increased over stabbing death

Olly Stephens was stabbed to death in Emmer Green in Reading

A 14-year-old girl who admitted manslaughter after a 13-year-old boy was knifed to death over a social media row has had her sentence increased.

The girl had been given a sentence of three years and two months following the killing of Olly Stephens in Reading in January 2021.

Three appeal judges concluded that the sentence was unduly lenient.

They ruled the custodial term should be increased to five years.

The girl, who was 13 at the time, admitted manslaughter. Two boys, aged 14, were found guilty of murder following a trial at Reading Crown Court.

One was sentenced to 13 years and the other to 12 years.

All three were sentenced in September to custody in young offender institutions.

Lady Justice Macur, Mr Justice Picken and Judge Mark Lucraft oversaw a Court of Appeal hearing in London.

It was told Olly had been lured to a field near his home, after a dispute on social media, and "ambushed".

The two boys were said to harbour "grievances" with Olly.

The girl had coaxed Olly to Bugs Bottom Field, in Emmer Green, Reading, and had told friends that she was "setting Olly up", judges heard.

She said she was not aware that anyone had a knife.

Barrister Tom Little QC, who represented the solicitor general Alex Chalk, argued that the girl's original sentence of three years and two months was unduly lenient.

The appeal judges decided that Judge Heather Norton had made an error when deciding on the girl's sentence.

None of those convicted can be identified for legal reasons.