Teenager jailed for murdering cystic fibrosis boy

MANCHESTER, Oct 16 (Reuters) A teenager has admitted stabbing to death an 11-year-old schoolboy and dumping his body in a park to stop his victim revealing he had made a sexual advance on him.

Michael Hamer, 15, admitted that he had murdered Joe Geeling, who suffered from the incurable condition cystic fibrosis, after luring the youngster back to his house.

He was jailed for a minimum of 12 years at Manchester Crown Court.

Geeling vanished in March on his way home from St Gabriel's Roman Catholic School in Bury, Greater Manchester.

Prosecutors said Hamer, who went to the same school, had faked a letter from school staff saying Geeling had to meet Hamer because he was going to act as the 11-year-old's mentor.

The meeting was to take place at Hamer's home.

Hamer, who was 14 at the time, attacked Geeling at the house, repeatedly hitting him about the head with a frying pan until it broke. He then took some knives from the kitchen and stabbed him 16 times.

He put Geeling's body in a wheelie bin and took it to a nearby park where he dumped the corpse in a wooded gully and covered it with debris.

The body was discovered the following day after a massive search by police, firefighters and family members.

Prosecutors said there might have been a sexual motive but there was no evidence of any such assault.

However Hamer's lawyer David Steer told the court that his client had in the last few days admitted making a sexual advance on Geeling.

''Joe responded by telling him he (Hamer) was gay and threatened to tell others what he tried to do,'' Steer said.

''He did what he did to prevent Joe from telling what had happened in the house,'' Steer said, adding that Hamer had panicked after realising what he done.

Hamer, who had been bullied at both primary and secondary schools, was described by Steer as something of a loner who found it hard to make friends.

Hamer had selected Geeling because he perceived him to be weak but maintained he did not know about his illness.

''You took away Joe's life and damaged the lives of all who loved him,'' said Judge Justice McCombe.

''At the same time you did a terrible damage to yourself.'' In a tribute read out in court, Geeling's father Tom said his son was a ''brave and kind-hearted little boy who had many friends and loved playing''.

''Once you met Joe he generally left an impression,'' the statement said.

''We cannot make any sense whatsoever about Hamer's actions. My wife and I weep all the time and we each have very bad days when we simply cannot function.'' Geeling's funeral service attracted hundreds of people, with family and pupils from his school coming to pay their last respects.

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