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  Luke killer given life in prison
Updated 27 July 2004, 11.46
Alan Pennell
The teenager found guilty of killing 14-year-old schoolboy Luke Walmsley has been sentenced to life in jail

Alan Pennell, 16, stabbed Luke outside a classroom during a break at Birkbeck Secondary School in November.

He said he only had the knife to scare Luke, who ran onto it by accident. But the jury found him guilty of murder after a trial which lasted two weeks.

It's unusual to allow the press to report the name of such a young boy in a trial like this.

Luke Walmsley
Luke Walmsley

The judge recommended that he spends at least 12 years of his sentence in jail.

Luke's mother spoke to the press, saying she thought all schools needed better security.

Luke's headteacher said: "We have all struggled to understand how this could have happened in our small rural school, where violence is a rarity."

A memorial fund for the schoolboy has raised at least £40,000. Luke was an excellent sportsman and the cash is likely to be spent on a sports facility for the community.

Meanwhile, the local council has announced it is carrying out an inquiry into what happened.

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