Mother’s warning about online grooming and killing shown in schools

THE MOTHER of murdered 14-year-old Breck Bednar, whose killer groomed him through an online gaming community, will appear in a film to be shown in secondary schools to highlight the dangers of online grooming.

Breck was stabbed to death by computer engineer Lewis Daynes in Grays, Essex, in February 2014 in what a judge described as a “sexual and sadistic” killing.

Daynes had lured Breck, from Caterham, Surrey to meet him.

Daynes, aged 18 at the time of the offence, admitted the murder at Chelmsford Crown Court and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years in 2015.

Breck’s mother Lorin LaFave will appear in a film called Breck’s

Last Game, which is a collaboration between four police forces – Essex, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Surrey. The film, which features the 999 call made to police by Daynes, captures the events leading to Breck’s death and police said it would carry a 15 certificate if shown in a cinema.

It will be shown at schools in the counties of the four police forces as part of planned lessons over the coming months.

Police said the full film will not be released publicly until spring 2019 to allow it to be used in lessons.

Ms LaFave said: “Breck’s story shows how easily grooming can happen.

“He met the predator through an online friendship group and would have been flattered to have an intelligent, older mentor helping him expand his gaming skills. It’s so important for us to raise awareness of the fact that boys can be groomed too.

“His version wasn’t the ‘typical’ type of grooming people had heard about in the news. His story shows even regular school boys can make mistakes if they aren’t educated to recognise the signs of grooming and exploitation.”