Sonny Stephenson's mum 'disgusted' killer's sentence review rejected

By Kris Jepson

Exclusive: The mother of Sonny Stephenson has told ITV News Tyne Tees she is 'disgusted' the sentence of her son's killer will not be reviewed.

Elizabeth Stephenson was visited by officers from Cleveland Police on Tuesday morning and told the Solicitor General will not review the six year sentence of her son's killer, Matthew Buckworth, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted assault in January.

Watch @krisjepson's report here:

17-year-old Sonny Stephenson had been riding a stolen motorbike with a friend in Guisborough, Teesside, last August.

Matthew Buckworth threw a spade at the pair. Sonny was pronounced dead at the scene. His 15-year-old friend was taken to hospital, but survived. Matthew Buckworth denied murder, but later admitted manslaughter and attempted assault.

The judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC said when sentencing Mr Buckworth, that he had been under "some degree of provocation" that night, because residents had put up with noisy bikers in previous weeks.

Sonny Stephenson's mum, Elizabeth, accepts her son may have been causing a nuisance, but she said he did not deserve to die.

She said Mr Buckworth's six year sentence is too lenient.

The Attorney General's office told ITV News: