Breck:
Get down!
Lewis:
No, no, left, left, look left.
Breck:
Okay, come on.
Liam:
It was Lewis who hosted the server.
Tom:
He made it quite clear that he owned the server and ran things, but there was no like, formal introduction or anything.
Liam:
He was a few years older than us, so he was sort of the like mature one that everyone looked up to, we were only 13/14.
Matt:
Really in awe of his like, technical ability. He could just do anything on the computer. Me and Breck, we really like coding, and he would encourage us to sort of code, and stuff like that.
Breck:
Cover me, cover me, cover me, cover me, too many people.
Lewis:
Can you get down because otherwise
Breck:
No, no, I can't. Three, two, one, jump.
Lewis:
Jump! Yes.
Breck:
Yes! So where are you now?
Lewis:
I'm in New York Breck.
Breck:
Wait, are you in New York now?
Lewis:
Yeah. I mean, I'm knackered, I'm pulling an all-nighter.
Breck:
What, on this?
Lewis:
No Breck, I do have a life. I've been testing security for the US government.
Lewis:
Everything that Lewis was saying was sort of Breck's ideal lifestyle. Job in computing, travelling around the world.
Lewis:
Made over $200 million in Bitcoins.
Tom:
He told me he'd made about $2 million off of this virtual currency. That's what he said, and I believed him.
Liam:
Everyone else was pretty open about their appearance, we had pretty much everyone on Facebook, we'd all connect through social media. Lewis didn't have any social networking, wouldn't share his face, so we had no idea what he looked like.
Tom:
Skyped him once, I had Breck round for a sleepover. On the Skype call, Lewis' screen was almost pitch black, you didn't really see much of Lewis, it was jus this face illuminated by the computer screen.
Liam:
He was definitely trying to change perceptions on multiple levels.
Lewis:
I think you're making a stupid mistake sticking around with school, and university, don't limit yourself with social conventions. There's a bigger picture for you here, Breck.
Breck:
I don't know, I always just thought I'd go to uni, I suppose.
Liam:
He didn't like us reading sort of mainstream news channels, because he felt like they were lying, or distorting the truth.
Lewis:
What's that about? What's the point in GCSEs? You've got a very bright future ahead of you. You have so much potential, your knowledge of computer systems is extensive, use that Breck, to your advantage. Very intelligent young man. Listen Breck, I need to dash, I've got these things to get to.
Breck:
Thanks.
Lewis:
I'll speak to you later, yeah?
Breck:
Yeah, cool.
Lewis:
Listen Breck, I heard them bitching. I tapped into another channel, I heard them talking about you, Breck.
Breck:
What are you talking about?
Lewis:
Well, your friends, well they said they don't really like you. Well in fact, they said they hate you.
Breck:
Who said what?
Lewis:
It was Liam.
Breck:
Liam?
Lewis:
Yeah. Well, and Matt. Forget about them Breck, you don't need them any more.
Matt:
Lewis was telling Breck about a lucrative job in a company and there's a chance to be like partners in the business.
Tom:
Lewis would pull Breck into a private channel saying he wanted to talk about you know, technical things to do with the server, like maintenance etc. It didn't seem suspicious or anything, it was like, "Oh fair enough," so never really questioned it or suspected anything.
Liam:
It could have gone go differently if he'd just listened to us, and his parents, and everyone else around him.
Breck:
Three, two, one. Did you see that?
Lewis:
Breck, Breck, get into my chat, I want to speak.
Breck:
What? Yo, what's up?
Lewis:
I'm running out of time, Breck.
Breck:
What are you talking about?
Lewis:
Look, Breck, I didn't want to let on but I'm ill.
Breck:
You're ill?
Lewis:
Yeah. I'm unable to keep control of the company, it is just too much for me. I've tried, but it's taking too much toll on my health, and I've decided I want to hand it over to you. When you're back from holiday.
Breck:
Yeah?
Lewis:
You'll come over to my place.
Breck:
Yeah.
Lewis:
We'll talk through the details, I'll hand over the company to you.
Breck:
Alright then.
Lewis:
Can't wait.
Breck:
Can't wait to meet you, too. Yes!
Video summary
'Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar', tells the true story of Breck Bednar, a 14-year-old boy who was lured to his death after being groomed online. In this clip Breck is befriended by an older teenager while playing online games.
Actors play Breck Bednar and Lewis Daynes. The two boys are introduced by other friends on a gaming server. At the time Breck was fourteen and Lewis was seventeen.
At first, Lewis appears charming and helpful. He is older than Breck and knowledgeable about computing. He offers to give Breck technical help and praises Breck for his computing ability.
Lewis Daynes creates an enticing persona online. He tells Breck he is in New York working for the US government. He says he runs a successful computer technology company and has become a millionaire after trading bitcoins (a virtual currency).
He tells Breck he can get him a high paying job without finishing school. But none of this is true.
Gradually, some of the older members of the gaming group become suspicious, questioning whether Lewis is really who he says he is, and wondering why he is not more open about his appearance.
Lewis begins to change the way Breck is thinking, and tries to isolate Breck from his friends and family. He invites Breck to chat in a private channel to keep their communications a secret.
Eventually, Lewis persuades Breck to come and meet him by telling another lie: because of his own ill health he has chosen Breck to take over the running of his computer technology company.
He has managed to gain Breck’s trust to such an extent that Breck travels to meet him alone, and without telling anyone of his plans.
PLEASE NOTE: This clip contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting. Teacher review is recommended prior to use in class.
Teacher Notes
Students could work in groups to list any warning signs they can see that grooming was taking place before feeding back to the whole class for discussion.
Students could also think about warning signs that were not present in this case, but are also important to look out for.
Are all cases of grooming the same?
This clip will be relevant for teaching PSHE and computing at KS3 and KS4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 4 and 5 in Scotland.
Changes in personality. video
Breck’s parents and friends discuss how befriending an online predator changed him.
Am I safe online? video
Breck’s mum Lorin speaks to ±«Óătv Radio 5 live and to school children about online grooming and internet safety.
