'Cult film' killer to appeal

Graham Neary was convicted of murder last month

One of three teenage boys detained indefinitely for the "Reservoir Dogs" murder of a schoolboy is to appeal against his conviction on the grounds it is unsafe, it has emerged.

The family of 16-year-old Graham Neary said he played only a minor role in the deadly assault on Michael Moss, 15, which involved the three attackers acting out a scene from the Quentin Tarantino film.

The jury came to a 10-2 majority verdict on Graham Neary

Neary, along with 16-year-olds Allan Bentley and Mark McKeefrey, denied murdering Michael on school playing fields at Litherland, Merseyside, in November last year.

But last month they were convicted of the murder at Liverpool Crown Court and ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure.

The jury delivered a unanimous verdict on Bentley and McKeefrey, but found Neary guilty by a 10-2 majority.

The court heard the attack had been prompted by Bentley's belief that his former girlfriend was going out with Michael.

The teenager was kicked and stabbed more than 50 times after his ear was almost cut off by a broken vodka bottle, mimicking a scene from the violent film.

Neary's mother, Tina, a single parent from Crosby on Merseyside, says her son played a significantly lesser role in the attack on Michael than the other two youths.

"I couldn't believe that Graham had got involved in such an horrific thing as happened to this poor child," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Thursday.

Michael Moss was kicked, beaten and stabbed

"Graham did hurt that child and I told him he would have to pay the price for the little part he played, what he did to Michael.

"But he didn't kill him, he didn't murder him, he didn't stab him," she said.

Sympathy

Ms Neary said she had made a bad mistake by allowing her son, on the night of the killing, to stay over at Bentley's home.

She added: "Graham is an immature boy, he's very gullible, and at the end of the day he is not streetwise."

Police described Allan Bentley and his friends as "callous"

Ms Neary voiced sympathy for Michael Moss's mother, Liz Moss.

"That mum has had an awful lot took away from her. She is not going to see her son be married, she's not going to have grandchildren, a daughter-in-law or nothing.

"My heart goes out to that lady, it really does," she said.