Family's plea after coffin pictures of murdered son, 15, shared on Snapchat

The parents of a murdered teenager have pleaded for children to stop sharing pictures of him in his coffin via Snapchat and Whatsapp.

Loui Phillips, 15, was stabbed to death by 17-year-old Kyle Pickles while he was cycling in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, in August last year.

Pickles, who had never met Loui before, stabbed the teen in the chest with a kitchen knife with such force the blade broke off, Sheffield Crown Court heard, before calmly walking away. Phillips died four days later on 12 August.

Now, it has emerged that photographs showing the teen in his coffin are allegedly being shared by children on Snapchat and WhatsApp, leaving his family devastated.

A post on social media on Friday [Feb 11] pleaded parents to check their children's phones, saying: "Can Cudworth/Monk Bretton/Shafton (every parent local) please check their children’s phones.

"They are passing a disturbing photo around of our Loui in his coffin. Our hearts hurt everyday but this is tormenting."

It is understood the sharing of the photographs has been reported to South Yorkshire Police.

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During his trial, the court heard Pickles knifed his victim in a jealous rage on Fish Bank Lane, Monk Bretton, after tracing a mutual female friend using Snapchat maps.

Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford QC told the court in December that Pickles had threatened violence against any boy who was a friend or acquaintance of a young girl he was friends with.

On one occasion he tried to stab the girl's dad and also attacked one boy, kicking him in the head.

After stabbing Phillips, he told police he had been with a family friend at the time but his DNA was found on the knife using to stab Phillips and he was spotted on CCTV.

Pickles, of Kirkstall Road, Barnsley, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years after pleading guilty to murder.

Sentencing him, Judge Roger Thomas QC said Pickles was "responsible for ending the life of a young boy who had all his adult years ahead of him", adding: "As his mum says, he had the world at his feet."

Phillips' mum told the court: "The last photo I have of Loui is of him lying on the hospital bed.

"He looked so young. I can't stop looking at this photograph. Every time I do, I break down in tears.

"It saddens me to think that his older brothers won't be able to take him for his first pint. He was young, good looking and opportunities seemed to be opening up for him.

"It's hard for me to comprehend someone so full of life is incapable of doing anything. In contrast, his murderer will be able to breathe, live and smile. This seems so unfair.

"I hope Kyle Pickles is never released from prison."