The Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids | Preview (5)

The nation is facing a chilling new reality: a shocking rise in child killers and their victims is gripping Britain. Murder convictions for minors in England and Wales have quadrupled since 2016.

This gripping documentary investigates the disturbing rise in youth violence, asking: what’s driving this deadly trend? Through expert insight and heart-wrenching real-life stories, we uncover a toxic mix of online feuds, social media pressure, and deadly weapons.

Social media platforms now play a central role in many youth crimes - fuelling grudges, rage and, sometimes costing lives. This film is a stark wake-up call: what’s turning ordinary kids into killers?

We hear from Stuart Stephens, father of 13-year-old Olly, who was lured to his death after a simple act of kindness- forwarding a bullying video to help a victim - marked him for murder.

In another case, teenager Fred Shand lost his life outside a takeaway, unaware his young attacker carried a hidden knife.

And in 2023, Mikey Roynon was brutally stabbed with a zombie knife, an increasingly common weapon of choice now outlawed, yet still alarmingly present on Britain’s streets. His three teenage killers were named. Their motive? Still a mystery.

The Real Adolescence: Our Killer Kids airs Thursday 8th May at 10pm on 5.