Bio

Warren Leblanc was born in 1986 or 1987 and lived in Leicester, England. He was from the Braunstone Frith area. By 2004, he was 17 years old. Leblanc knew 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah. Stefan considered him a friend and trusted him. Before the murder, Leblanc was not publicly known as a convicted violent offender. He owed money and was afraid of a local gang member. His lawyer said this fear was part of the reason for the robbery plan.

On the day of the murder, Stefan believed he was going to meet someone with Leblanc. Instead, Leblanc led him to Stokes Wood Park in Leicester, also known locally as “The Dumps.” The case became widely reported because Stefan’s parents said Leblanc was influenced by the video game Manhunt. However, police rejected that claim. They said the game was found in Stefan’s room, not Leblanc’s room, and that the motive was robbery.

In court, the judge made clear that Leblanc alone was responsible for the murder. The proven motive was robbery, with the defense also saying Leblanc acted because he feared people he owed money to.

Murder Story

In February 2004, Warren Leblanc lured 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah to Stokes Wood Park in Leicester. Stefan believed he was going to meet someone with Leblanc. Instead, Leblanc had armed himself with a claw hammer and a knife. The attack took place in the park, in an area known locally as “The Dumps.” Leblanc attacked Stefan with the hammer and knife. The assault was prolonged and violent. Reports from the sentencing said Stefan was left with at least 50 separate injuries.

Leblanc later admitted killing Stefan. His defense said he had planned to rob him, not murder him. The defense claimed Leblanc wanted money because he feared a gang member to whom he owed money. According to The Guardian, the defense said he owed £75 and that the killing was connected to fear and desperation, not a re-enactment of a video game. After the attack, police found Leblanc covered in blood. He confessed shortly afterward. Stefan’s injuries showed that he had been beaten and stabbed. He died from the attack.

The murder quickly became connected in the media to the video game Manhunt. Stefan’s parents said Leblanc had been obsessed with the game and believed it influenced the killing. Several retailers removed the game from sale after the case received national attention. However, police later said their investigation found no evidence that the game caused the murder. They stated that the motive was robbery and that the copy of Manhunt was found in Stefan’s room, not Leblanc’s room.

Leblanc pleaded guilty to murder at Leicester Crown Court on July 28, 2004. Because he admitted the killing, there was no full murder trial. The case then moved to sentencing. On September 3, 2004, Judge Michael Stokes QC sentenced Leblanc to life imprisonment and ordered that he serve a minimum term of 13 years. During sentencing, the judge said Leblanc alone was responsible for the attack. He described the killing as prolonged, vicious, and murderous, and said Stefan had thought of Leblanc as a friend. The judge also said the attack went far beyond anything needed for a robbery.

Stefan’s family continued to speak publicly after the case. They maintained their belief that Manhunt influenced the killing and later opposed Leblanc’s release. In January 2020, ITV reported that Stefan’s family wanted to block his release and asked that he apologise before being freed. At that time, a Parole Board hearing was reviewing his release.

In March 2020, ITV reported that the Parole Board had approved Leblanc’s release after he had served about 16 years in prison. He was to be released on licence, meaning he would remain under supervision and could be recalled to prison if he breached licence conditions.