The killers of a Bolton schoolboy can be named for the first time after a judge lifted reported restrictions.
Reece Tansey, 15, was stabbed six times on May 4, 2021, and following a trial, James White, 16, was found guilty of his murder and jailed for 15 years.
Mark Nuttall, 15, was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years imprisonment.
During a hearing at Leicester Crown Court today (February 4) Justice Farbey lifted an order made under s45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act, which previously prevented White and Nuttall's names from being reported.
It followed submissions from Manchester Evening News and The Bolton News .
A three week trial heard that White and Nuttall had agreed to meet up in the early hours of May 4 in Walker Avenue, Bolton, because of an escalating dispute between Nuttall and a friend of the victim.
But, when Reece arrived he was stabbed six times by White.
He banged on the door of a nearby house desperately pleading for help before falling to the ground.
And, having been discovered by two men, he used his final breath to tell them the names of his killers.
Police arrived at the scene minutes later and Reece was rushed to Salford Royal Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5.45am.
A pathologist concluded his death was caused by 'multiple stab wounds', which 'were likely to have been inflicted by a knife with a 10-12cm blade'.
After fleeing the scene, White sent a Snapchat video of himself carrying a knife covered in blood, accompanied by the word ‘muppet’.
He later sent a message to Nuttall, which read: "I thought it only went through his coat so I kept doing it.
Adding: "He's dead now."
Nuttall responded with a laughing emoji.
The court was told there was a 'long-standing hate' between Nuttall and Reece, and White had been brought into the dispute as support.
Jurors heard that the two boys had goaded Reece and his friend into meeting them, but he was initially reluctant.
The court heard he had sent a message to his friend, which read: "Getting brought into your s*** again. Ain't in no f****** mood".
All four boys eventually agreed to meet that night and Reece left home and headed to the rendezvous point near Great Lever Park.
But as Reece was en route, his friend informed him that he had decided to stay in bed.
Before the trial White admitted killing Reece but denied murder. Nuttall admitted he was there but denied killing Reece or knowing White had a knife.
In a victim statement, Reece's mum Laura said: "Reece was our 15-year-old son, he made us smile, he made us laugh, he made us tear our hair out at times, a typical teenage lad, but he was ours.
"Reece was fiercely protective of his mum and little brother, and saw himself as the man of the house. His dad saw him as his best friend.
"Reece was simply our world, and his death has devastated us beyond belief."
