Killed for a dare: 'Schoolboy murdered ex girlfriend for free breakfast' | Mail Online
A schoolboy murdered a former girlfriend after he was promised a free breakfast if he carried out the killing, a court heard.
Rebecca Aylward, 15, was battered to death in October last year within weeks of the 'chilling bet' with a friend.
Her alleged killer, 16, lured her to a secluded wood near Bridgend, south Wales, where he smashed her head with a rock, Swansea Crown Court heard.
To divert suspicion from himself, he had previously told her to let it be known she was meeting someone else.
Murdered: Rebecca Aylward, 15, was found dead with head injuries in secluded woods near Bridgend
South Wales Police officers at the scene where Rebecca's body was discovered in woods near Bridgend
But it is claimed that she failed to follow his directions and told her mother the name of the person she was meeting.
Greg Taylor QC began by handing the jury a list of terms used in texting and on MSN Messenger and Facebook.
Evidence from all those sources will play a key role in the prosecution case of what he called a 'teenage murder'.
'There is no doubt that Rebecca Aylward was murdered,' he said. 'She was hit a number of times to her head with a rock in a forest at Aberkenfig.
'It was raining and she was left for dead lying face down on the wet forest floor in new clothes that had been bought for her the day before.
'The prosecution say that the boy who sits before you here committed this murder. The defence say that he had nothing to do with it and that Rebecca was killed by his best friend.'
He added, 'The question for you is who did it? The prosecution say that there is absolutely no doubt that he did it.'
The teenager denies a single charge of murder on October 23, 2010.
Mr Taylor said the teenagers had briefly been in a relationship about a year before the murder and had kept in touch.
The defendant used to meet every Saturday at a local cafe in the area with teenage friends where they had breakfast together.
At one such meeting, said Mr Taylor, he openly discussed killing the girl, his friends assuming he was joking.
They later told police he had a reputation for saying he was going to do things he never subsequently did.
But in a later text to one friend he asks: 'What would you do if I actually did kill her?' The friend replies: 'Oh, I would buy you breakfast.'
Mr Taylor said: 'It is difficult to know, isn't it, if someone could be serious about something like that.'
Trial: Swansea Crown Court heard today that Rebecca's alleged killer, lured her to a secluded wood near Bridgend before attacking her
Investigation: Police at the woodland near Aberkenfig where Rebecca was found
Brutal: The court heard that Rebecca was killed after being repeatedly struck with a rock
But the subject of the murder allegedly became a regular text topic between the friends, until two days before the killing when the defendant contacted his friend to confirm he would attend their breakfast date.
He added 'Don't say anything but you may just owe me a breakfast.'
The friend replied, 'Best text I have ever had mate. Seriously, if it is true I am happy to pay for a breakfast.'
The defendant adds, 'I hope by then it will be done and dusted.'
The friend replies: 'I want all the details. You sadistic b******.' The text finished with a smiley face symbol.
The teenager added: 'Large breakfast with extras of everything.' His friend replied, 'Sick, sick boy.'
