Leonne Weeks murder sentencing: teacher pays tribute to 'lovely girl'
The Dinnington teenager's killer will be sentenced later
Last updated 5th Mar 2018
On the day her killer's due to be sentenced, the teacher of a Dinnington teenager, who was stabbed to death last year, has paid tribute to a 'lovely bouncy girl'.
The body of 16 year old Leonne Weeks was found with stab wounds on Lordens Hill in the town last January.
Shea Heeley, who's 18, has since admitted killing her, and will be sentenced later for murder.
Rebecca Staples is headteacher at Leonne's old school Dinnington High - she's says her death's made a huge impact there:
"It was absolute utter shock and disbelief - none of us could believe that this had happened. How could you not struggle with this? It's just so unfair for a young girl to lose her life like this.
"She'll really be remembered as a bouncy lovely girl, loved by her friends, and the staff who worked with her - and such a shock to have lost her.
"The family have just been devastated by what happened. Her younger sister, in particular, was such a bouncy lovely girl herself and has just been devastated by events - as have her whole family. And we can't begin to imagine what it's like for her twin brother going through all this."
A post mortem concluded Leonne died of multiple stab wounds - but the circumstances of her death still aren't clear.
Leonne's family have paid tribute to their "beautiful daughter and sister", saying: "she was very much loved and will be missed by all of us."
Rebecca says it must be so hard for them:
"We can't even begin to imagine how hard it is for the family I don't think. I am relieved we're not going to be sitting through a full trial because that would have been unbearable for family, friends and everybody. We just rely on our justice system doing the right things and making the right judgement.
"I think all those who've know here - because it's not just teachers, it's the wider staff who've had involvement with her - have just been really sad. It's been hard, both with her anniversary and what's been happening with what would have been the trial, it's been a hard time for all those who were close to her."