Man guilty of the murder of 15 year old Dylan Bragger in Skelmersdale
Felipe Diglio Figueiredo said he was acting in self defence when he killed the teenager
A man has today (Wednesday 24th January 2024) been found guilty of the murder of 15-year-old Dylan Bragger in Skelmersdale.
Felipe Diglio Figueiredo, 28, of Birleywood, Skelmersdale appeared at Preston Crown Court where the court heard how he fatally stabbed Dylan more than 23 times.
Officers were called to Digmoor Road, Skelmersdale just after 9:00pm on 29th June 2023 following reports of a stabbing. Emergency services arrived on scene and found Dylan had suffered multiple stab wounds. Sadly, despite their best efforts, Dylan was pronounced deceased shortly after.
Lancashire Police detectives launched a murder inquiry which revealed the movements of Figueiredo, who witnesses say confronted Dylan and another man over a dispute involving a stolen motorbike.
CCTV caught Figueiredo as he left his home on the evening of the murder, after receiving a text message stating that the motorbike stolen from his property the previous evening had been sighted on the Birleywood estate.
Dylan was subjected to a brutal attack and he sustained a minimum of 23 sharp force injuries to the head, neck, chest, back, abdomen and arms.
Figueiredo returned home just over half an hour later and called Police at 9:30pm to hand himself in, before armed officers arrived to arrest him.
Figueiredo would later say he stabbed Dylan ‘a few times’ in self-defence. The jury today rejected that claim, after hearing the volume and extent of Dylan’s injuries as well as being shown evidence that was inconsistent with Figueiredo’s recollection of the attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Fallows, of our Force Major Investigation Team, said: “This is an utterly tragic case in which a 15-year-old boy with his whole life ahead of him has had that abruptly snatched away. My thoughts are with Dylan’s family and friends at what must be an extremely difficult time.
“I know this is a heartbreaking tale of events that has also rocked the local community and though clearly nothing can bring Dylan back, I’m pleased that the guilty verdict will bring the family some much-needed closure.
“Knife crime has no place in Lancashire and we will do all we can to spread the message that one decision to carry a knife, like in the case of Felipe Figueiredo, can not only take a life in the most ruthless of ways, but it can also destroy your own”.
Felipe Figueiredo will be sentenced on Friday 26th January 2024 at Preston Crown Court and we will provide more information after this time.
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