Teenager stabbed another boy to death over Snapchat jealousy

The pair were fighting over a girl

Kyle Pickles is 17-years-old (South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)

A “jealous” teenager who stabbed a 15-year-old boy to death after hunting down a girl he was spending time with on Snapchat has been jailed for life.

Kyle Pickles, 17, stabbed Loui Phillips in the heart in a jealous rage over a “perceived relationship” then calmly walked away from the scene without even saying a word.

He was on police bail at the time of the killing for attacking the girl's dad with a stanley knife, a court heard.

Loui was still conscious and gave a full account to a police officer as he was rushed to hospital after the attack on Sunday 8 August.

He underwent open heart surgery to remove the blade and was then transferred to a specialist cardiac unit where he underwent further surgery.

Tragically he died four days layer despite the best efforts of medics.

On Monday Loui's heartbroken family clapped as Pickles, who pleaded guilty to murder at a hearing in October, was jailed for life for the brutal, unprovoked attack.

At today's sentencing hearing, Doncaster Crown Court heard how Pickles, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, had hunted down a girl using the location function on the mobile phone app Snapchat.

His Honour Judge Roger Thomas told Pickles: “You knew that she would be there on that street and you had determined that you would use your knife against any boy she was in company with.

“You didn’t even know who he was. The two of you had never met before.

“You are responsible for ending the life of a young boy who had his whole adult life ahead of him.”

The judge further said Pickles showed “no empathy or remorse” for his actions, and a psychiatrist heard he had pleaded guilty only to “get less time”.

The court heard Pickles had for weeks been attacking any boy the girl associated with and broke into her family home to attack her father with a stanley knife.

Over the course of two months, the teenager assaulted six boys he felt had had anything to do with the girl and stalked her interactions on social media.

One boy, 16, was beaten to the floor by Pickles before he "took a run and kicked his head like a football", the court heard.

Judge Thomas added: “You have demonstrated a total lack of empathy or remorse for your actions.

“You fail to comprehend the suffering his family have been subjected to."

Speaking after the sentencing Loui’s mum, Louise Hartley, said she is ‘totally lost’ following the death of her son.

She said in a statement issued by police: “I keep reliving the phone call that Loui made to me after he was stabbed, and the proceeding days where I sat by his bedside in hospital watching him die.

“I miss Loui constantly. I miss the small moments like him wandering into the room to sit with me or ringing me to say he will be home soon when out with friends.

"Loui had the world at his feet. He was young, good looking, and opportunities seemed to be opening up for him. He loved football and was excelling on the pitch. He had also recently started catering college.

“He was a very sociable boy and was quite the charmer with the girls. He never left the house without making sure that his hair was perfectly styled.

“It was Loui’s 16th birthday on 4 November, and I spent it by his graveside. I can no longer smile. I feel physically incapable of happiness. I would feel guilty to do so knowing that my Loui is not able to. I want my son here with me - I love him so much.”

SWNS