Ana Kriégel murder: Two teenage boys sentenced
5 November 2019
A boy convicted of the murder of schoolgirl Ana Kriegel has been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of release for 12 years. A second boy has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison with no possibility of release for eight years. The boys, both 15, became two of Ireland's youngest convicted killers when they were found guilty of murdering the 14-year-old. The victim's parents said "justice has been served for Ana". However, Patric Kriegel, the victim's father, added that "forever is not long enough" when it comes to how long the two killers spend in prison. "Please remember Ana and keep her in your hearts somewhere," he said. Ana Kriegel was found dead in May 2018 in an abandoned house in Dublin, where she had been taken by one of the boys. The boys, both 13 at the time, denied the charges and were granted anonymity during the trial due to their age, being referred to as Boy A and Boy B. Boy A was also convicted of aggravated sexual assault and was sentenced at Dublin's Central Criminal Court on Tuesday to life for murder and aggravated sexual assault, with a review period after 12 years. Boy B was sentenced to 15 years' detention, with a review after eight years. Sentencing the boys at Dublin's Central Criminal Court on Tuesday, Justice Paul McDermott said the "denial of Ana's right is at the core of this process". "A healthy 14 year-old girl, with her future before her and her short life should not be defined by how she died," he said. "Her family are bereft, the joy and security of the Kriegel family shattered in the most cruel circumstances." by Shane Harrison, Ireland correspondent, at the court Because of the sensitivity of the trial, and the age of the boys, only five journalists were allowed at the in-camera trial. The rest of us sat in Court 13 of the Courts of Criminal Justice building, watching proceedings on a video link. The camera concentrated on the judge, occasionally turning to the lawyers. Of the boys, their families and the Kriegel family, there was no sight. But they were in court. Once Mr Justice Paul McDermott gave his sentence, some of the two boys' families nodded at waiting reporters, with sadness written all over their faces. It was nothing, though, compared to the grief and sadness of the Kriegel family who now, in the words of the judge, face their own life sentence. He added that Ana's murder had resulted in a "lifelong sentence" for her parents. The judge told the court the boys' sentences may seem long to them but are proportionate for what they did. "You will have the opportunity for a future and a second chance - something you wilfully deprived Ana Kriegel of," he said. Ana was born in Russia in February 2004, and at the age of two was adopted by Irish woman Geraldine Kriegel and her French-born husband Patric, who lived in Lucan. Her naked body was found with a ligature around the neck in a derelict house three days after she went missing in May 2018. A former state pathologist identified 50 areas of injury on the schoolgirl's head and body, concluding the cause of her death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck. On 14 May, Ana had left her house with Boy B in the early evening, thinking she was being taken to meet a boy she liked. She was taken to the abandoned Glenwood House in Lucan in Dublin, about 3km (1.9 miles) away from her home, where Boy A was waiting. The journey took 30 minutes. During their trial, the court was told Boy A attacked and murdered Ana while Boy B watched. On the first day of the trial, the court was told by Ana's mother that her daughter was very vulnerable and that, while she looked older, she was "a child on the inside". It also heard that Ana had suffered horrific bullying and been targeted on social media in the months leading up to her murder. At a sentencing hearing last week, the court heard Boy A has accepted he caused Ana's death, while the boy's grandfather said his grandson was "incredibly sorry" for what happened. A lawyer for Boy B, however, said it was clear from reports that his client does not accept his role in the murder of Ana. The court heard there had been a falling out between Boy B and his father, who was not in court, over Boy B's failure to intervene and assist Ana. The lawyer asked the court to be as lenient as possible, pointing out that no DNA belonging to Boy B was found at the derelict house where Ana was found. The court also heard a victim impact statement from Geraldine Kriegel, in which she said "life without Ana is no longer a life". "It is a misery we must endure for the rest of our lives."
Ana was born in Russia in February 2004, and at the age of two was adopted by Irish woman Geraldine Kriegel and her French-born husband Patric, who lived in Lucan. Her naked body was found with a ligature around the neck in a derelict house three days after she went missing in May 2018. A former state pathologist identified 50 areas of injury on the schoolgirl's head and body, concluding the cause of her death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck. On 14 May, Ana had left her house with Boy B in the early evening, thinking she was being taken to meet a boy she liked. She was taken to the abandoned Glenwood House in Lucan in Dublin, about 3km (1.9 miles) away from her home, where Boy A was waiting. The journey took 30 minutes. During their trial, the court was told Boy A attacked and murdered Ana while Boy B watched.
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How did Ana die?