The horrific murder of 14-year-old Filipe Costa in Salvaterra de Magos last year has seen his biopolar attacker – who at one point claimed he had killed the boy for his trainers – condemned to 17 and a half years in jail.
Santarém court heard how Daniel Neves had troubled past, suffered from a personality disorder and had been taking medication “from the age of six”.
But at the time he killed the boy who had been his friend, he had “not been taking his recommended medication for nine months”.
Nonetheless, the Public Ministry asked for an exemplary prison sentence, appealing to judges not to extend any benefits of the “special regime to protect minors” (Neves had been 17 when he battered Costa to death and concealed the boy’s body for days as frantic searches went ahead).
Neves was also ordered to pay Costa’s parents compensation of €145,000.
