Another So-Called 'Xbox Murder' Conviction

Two Sheffield thugs have been convicted over a killing being cynically dubbed by the press as an 'Xbox Murder'.

Seaon Thompson, now 16 (15 when the crime occurred) and Reece Mendez, 18, have been sentenced to 10 and 11 and a half years behind bars respectively after they killed Dale Robertson, 18, in a dispute arising from the theft of Xbox games. Robertson was called on to help out when games were stolen from a 16th birthday party and was killed in the resulting conflict.

Two other teens have been convicted of violent disorder, but dozens of youths were reportedly involved.

Detective Superintendent Richard Fewkes, head of South Yorkshire Police's major incident team, emphasised that Robertson was killed over a "trivial issue", pointing to social problems as the root of the killing. "I think there is a culture in society that drives this behaviour, possibly because of the roles of families in society and who the young people look to in terms of leadership or role models within communities", he said.

While South Yorkshire police are apparently able to look at the wider issues surrounding this tragic case, however, local papers The Sheffield Telegraph and The Star have both cynically run headlines with the phrase 'XBOX MURDER' (their capitals) displayed prominently.

It mirrors recent coverage of killings in the US in which the theft of games was involved.

As SPOnG pointed out at the time, the press wouldn't bother to brand a murder a "Honda Civic Killing" because the theft of a car was involved, so SPOnG hopes that the mainstream media can stop turning tragic incidents into cynical grabs for headlines by chucking the word 'Xbox' into the mix very, very soon. More on this here.

^{Sources:
Sheffield Telegraph
The Star}