Online killer called 999 and told them 'only one of us came out alive'

A computer engineer who slit a 14-year-old boy's throat sent pictures of his dying victim to friends before calmly calling 999 and admitting the killing.

Breck Bednar, from Caterham, Surrey, was found with a fatal neck wound at a flat in Grays, Essex, on February 17 last year.

Lewis Daynes, who has been sentenced to life for murder at Chelmsford Crown Court today, had lured Breck to his home in Grays after months of controlling behaviour online where they met while playing video games.

After stabbing Bednar, Daynes sent pictures of his dying victim to two of his online contacts, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Hours after the stabbing, he called 999 and claimed the pair had got into an "altercation" adding: "Only one of us came out alive".

He told the emergency services: "I need you to send police and a forensic team to my address."

Speaking in a calm voice, the controlling killer went on to outline a carefully constructed explanation of how Breck Bednar met his end.

Asked by the operator if he was saying he had killed somebody, he replied simply: "Yes, I am."

Listen to an extract from the call here:

Daynes gave his name, age and address before claiming Breck had come at him with a pen-knife.

He told the operator Breck had been "fed up with his life" and had "lost control" when he picked up the pen-knife, sparking a fight between the two of them and implying the killing had been an accident.

He added: "I grabbed the knife and stabbed him in the back of the neck, I believe somewhere near the brain stem. I don't remember exactly what happened but the fight ended with me cutting his throat."

After outlining his story in a matter-of-fact tone, Daynes cut short the conversation, politely telling the call operator: "Thank you for your help."

When officers arrived at his home, they found Breck laying in the bedroom.Daynes had submerged his computer equipment in water to destroy evidence.

The court heard he had behaved in a similar way to other boys - including sending one a video of a man being beheaded.