Ana Kriegel murder: Family of Boy B ‘forced into hiding’ following illegal publication of photos

Representatives of Twitter and Facebook appeared at the Central Criminal Court this morning to answer charges of contempt following the publication of pictures of both boys who were convicted this week of murdering the 14-year-old schoolgirl.

It is an offence under the Children Act to publish anything that would identify the boys, who are both aged 14. Justice Paul McDermott also made an order preventing them from being identified.

Rossa Fanning SC on behalf of Facebook Ireland Ltd told Mr Justice Michael White that the company’s market manager Eoin McDonald had sworn an affidavit which he handed to the court. Andrew Fitzpatrick SC for Twitter International Company also handed an affidavit to the court.

Damien Colgan SC for Boy B told Mr Justice White that his client’s family was “forced into hiding” following the publication of the boy’s identity online. Andrew McKeown BL for Boy A said he had a number of screenshots taken as late as this morning to hand to the court.

The boys, identified in the media only as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted on Tuesday of murdering Ana Kriégel on 14th May 2018. Boy A was also convicted of Ana’s aggravated sexual assault in a manner that involved serious violence to her.

Both boys had pleaded not guilty and were convicted by unanimous jury verdicts on all counts following an eight-week trial.

Eoin Reynolds, Ireland International News Agency Ltd