BOY B in the murder trial of Ana Kriègel has withdrawn his appeal against his conviction for her murder.
The now 18-year-old was just 13 when he lured the Kildare schoolgirl to her death in May 2018.
His friend, dubbed Boy A because neither of them can be identified, was also convicted of her murder following a lengthy trial the following year.
The appeal was scheduled to start this morning, Wednesday, but at a brief hearing the boy's lawyers told the three-judge Court of Appeal that their client no longer wishes to go ahead with the hearing.
Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding, asked Boy B directly if he had consulted his lawyers, if he understood the implications of a decision to withdraw and if it was his wish to have the appeal withdrawn. "It is," he replied.
Boy B’s lawyers also confirmed to the court that their client won’t be challenging the sentence he was handed for his role in Ana’s murder.
At a previous hearing in the appeal court Boy B's lawyers applied for permission to introduce fresh evidence that was not heard at the trial. James Dwyer SC, for Boy B, said that two eminent child psychologists had examined Boy B's garda interviews and found the "mind of Boy B was substantially overborne" by the interviews.
The Court of Appeal refused to allow the fresh evidence, saying it was "pretty remarkable" that lawyers were now looking to introduce something that was never an issue in the trial.
Boy B will now continue to serve his 15 years' detention, to be reviewed after eight years.
Boy A was sentenced to life imprisonment with a review after 12 years, and eight years imprisonment for aggravated sexual assault. No appeal has been lodged on Boy A's behalf.
See More: Ana Kriegel, Boy A, Boy B
