Young Portuguese murderer condemned to 17.5 years in prison

An 18-year-old Portuguese man accused of killing a 14-year-old last year was condemned to 17.5 years in prison on Friday. He will also have to pay 145,000 euros (162,881 U.S. dollars) in compensation to the parents of the victim.

The court found Daniel Neves, then 17, guilty for violently beating Filipe Diogo, 14, to death, local media reported.

After murdering the victim, Neves hid his body, which was found three days later in a loft in Salvaterra de Magos in the district of Santarem, around 90 km northeast of Lisbon.

The murder took place due to the debt of up to 300 euros for drugs which the attacker had provided to the victim.

The court said the accused was perfectly aware of his acts and pointed to the "atrocious violence" of the crime, adding the accused had misled the victim's mother by giving her false clues before he had been made a suspect.

Diogo's mother has said she will lodge an appeal and will not accept a penalty of less than 20 years in jail.

Source: XINHUA