Ana Kreigel's killers due to be sentenced

By Cate McCurry and Aoife Moore

The youngest convicted murderers in the history of the Irish state are to be sentenced on Tuesday.

Two 15-year-old boys, known as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty in June of murdering 14-year-old Ana Kriegel.

The schoolgirl's naked body was found in an abandoned farmhouse in Lucan, Co Dublin, last May after she had been reported missing by her parents.

Boy A was also convicted of aggravated sexual assault.

They have both been granted lifelong anonymity due to their age.

Justice Paul McDermott had previously reserved sentencing until a number of psychological, psychiatric and social work reports could be compiled.

The sentencing will be the first of its kind in Ireland due to the killers' young age.

Both boys are currently in custody in Oberstown Detention Centre in north Dublin.

Last week at a sentencing hearing at Dublin's Central Criminal Court, the court heard from Ana's mother, Geraldine Kriegel.

In her victim impact statement, Mrs Kriegel told the court that Ana's murder has left an emptiness in the lives of all who knew her.

"There is an emptiness in our lives. Life without Ana is no longer a life," she said.

"It is a misery we must endure for the rest of our lives."

The court also heard from the grandfather of Boy A, who said his grandson is "incredibly sorry" for what happened.

The court earlier heard how Boy A has accepted he caused the death of Ana.

A solicitor for Boy B said it is clear from the reports that his client does not accept the murder of Ana, adding that there had been a falling out between Boy B and his father, who was not in court, and explained that it was over Boy B's failure to intervene and assist Ana.

He asked the court to be as lenient as possible in the sentencing, adding that no DNA belonging to Boy B was found at the disused farmhouse.