00:00Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen for coming in today. I'm Detective Chief Inspector
00:05Neil Craig and I'm the Senior Investigating Officer into the investigation into the murder
00:10of Christopher McBurney. Today the 16-year-old defendant has been found guilty of the murder
00:16of Christopher McBurney. My thoughts and those of the entire investigation team are first
00:22and foremost with Christopher's family and everyone who loved him. Throughout this investigation
00:28we have remained conscious that at the heart of this case is a person who's lost their
00:34life and a family who must live with that loss every day. Christopher was a 14-year-old boy
00:41whose life was taken from him in the most tragic of circumstances and we want to recognise his
00:47life, his relationships and everything that he meant to those who were closest to him.
00:54His family have endured the distress of their bereavement alongside the demands of a lengthy
01:00investigation and the most recent trial. Hearing the circumstances of Christopher's death examined
01:08in detail in court has been deeply upsetting for them. The jury have considered the evidence
01:15and returned their verdict. Today's conviction establishes the defendant's criminal responsibility
01:22for the unlawful killing of Christopher. However, nothing that happened in court can undo his death
01:29or remove the grief experienced by those left behind. Our responsibility throughout this investigation
01:37has been to establish what happened, pursue all reasonable and available lines of inquiry and present the
01:45evidence fairly and thoroughly for the court to then consider. This involved a detailed examination
01:52of forensic evidence, witness accounts, digital material and the exact circumstances of the events
02:01surrounding and leading up to Christopher's death. I want to thank those who came forward with information
02:09and everyone who gave evidence. We recognise that this can be a difficult experience and we are grateful
02:17for their assistance. I would also like to personally thank the investigation team, our specialist colleagues
02:25and multi-agency partners, the Attorney General of Chambers and Mr David Temkin, KC, for their collective
02:34and unwavering professionalism and commitment throughout this case. We recognise the impact
02:41that Christopher's death has had and continues to have on our wider community and we thank everyone
02:47who supported our inquiries. I would however ask the public to continue to respond with sensitivity, avoid speculation
02:57and respect the privacy of those involved. Christopher's family have asked for privacy at this time
03:03and would ask that their wishes are duly respected. Above all our thoughts remain with Christopher's family
03:12and friends. Their loss extends far beyond these proceedings and Christopher remains at the heart of this case.
03:21The defendant will be sentenced in January 2027 and it is for the court to determine the appropriate sentence. Thank
03:29you.
