15/12/2005

Teen found guilty of girl’s murder

A teenager has been guilty of the murder of ten-year-old Lauren Pilkington-Smith.

Kieron Smith, 18, had denied murdering the schoolgirl, whose body was found in woodlands near her home in Leigh, Greater Manchester on July 7, after going missing earlier that day.

She had suffered severe head injuries.

During the trial, Smith admitted that he had played cricket with Lauren, but said that he had gone home afterwards and had not seen her again.

However, he was unable to explain why droplets of Lauren’s blood were found on his trainers.

Greater Manchester Police described Smith as “cold, calculating and violent”.

At the hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Mr Justice Mackay said that only a life sentence could be passed on him.

Kieron Smith will be sentenced at a later date.

(KMcA)


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