Hannah Bonser convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Casey Kearney

Senior Investigating Officer on the case, Detective Superintendent Terry Mann, spoke after the sentencing at court:

"Today, Wednesday, 11 July, Hannah Bonser has been found guilty of the murder of Casey Kearney at Sheffield Crown Court.  She has been sentenced to life imprisonment of which she must serve a minimum term of 22 years.

"Casey died on Tuesday, 14 February, this year, in Doncaster Royal Infirmary after being stabbed in Elmfield Park earlier that day. She would have been 14 years of age last Saturday (7^th July).

"Casey left her Rossington home at lunchtime that day and caught the bus into Doncaster town centre.  After the bus journey, she began to walk through the park heading for her friend’s home. At 1.18pm, she managed to ring police to say she had been stabbed. Despite determined efforts of medical staff, she died from her injury, a significant stab wound to the abdomen.

"This was a terrible, unprovoked and random attack on an innocent young girl, robbing her and her loving family of her future years. It happened in broad daylight in a popular area, shocking the local community.

"The investigation has been a difficult one for all involved so I would like to thank everyone who came forward, helping us with our enquiries.

"We have supported Casey’s family throughout the investigation, which has now come to a close. They have conducted themselves with the upmost dignity and I offer them my deepest sympathy. We hope that they can now find some solace in the guilty verdict for Hannah Bonser and now begin to rebuild their lives."

Family statement from Anthony Kearney (Casey's father):

"Our family would like to thank South YorkshirePolice and the Crown Prosecution Service for their hard work and dedication in bringing this case to a satisfactory conclusion.

"We think the jury has come to the correct decision in convicting Bonser with the murder of Casey. There was never a doubt in our minds this was a calculated and deliberate act and therefore deserves the maximum sentence our judicial system allows.

"However, no sentence will bring Casey back to us and the severity of Bonser's actions means we will never have the privilege of her in our lives again."