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Teenage killer named after Echo's legal challenge pays off

The Liverpool Echo was able to name a teenage thief who ran over and killed a pensioner in his own car, after reporter Sarah Chapman successfully argued that an order banning his identification should be lifted.

Court reporter Sarah argued that the 16-year-old killer of retired bus driver Kenneth Bostock should be named in the interests of open justice, and that this would also act as a deterrent for other youngsters.

She told Mr Justice Openshaw, at Liverpool Crown Court, that any negative impact on the boy – who was 15 at the time of the killing – was outweight by the public’s right to know who had committed such a serious crime.

The judge agreed and lifted a Section 39 order which had been granted at an earlier hearing.

The boy had admitted manslaughter but was this week cleared of murder.

The Echo had given significant coverage to the case, but had previously had to tell readers that it could not name the boy “for legal reasons”.

Post & Echo managing editor Chris Walker said: “We believe that it is the public interest and in the interests of open justice that he be fully identified, not to name and shame but so that justice is seen to be carried out.

“We would still have carried the story prominently but it would obviously have been diminished as we would have been talking about an anonymous 16-year-old and would not have been able to identify him to our readers.

“As with all things like this the name gives the story more human relevance.”

He added: “Sarah has often had to argue on behalf of the paper and it is part and parcel of the job.

“She clearly made a very articulate case and did the paper proud.”

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