Sentencing for Roberts Buncis murder

Today, at Lincoln Crown Court, a 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to serve a minimum of 17 years for the murder of 12-year-old Roberts Buncis.

A jury returned a guilty verdict on 5 July following trial earlier this year. Reporting restrictions have been lifted today meaning the boy has been named as Marcel Grzeszcz of Boston (pictured right).  

This has been a meticulous investigation which began on the morning of 12 December 2020 when we were called to Alcorn Green in Fishtoft at 10.22 am. Roberts was found deceased in a common area at the rear of the street. He had suffered fatal stab wounds to his neck, chest and abdomen.

On the 13 December, the defendant, 14 years of age at the time, was arrested. He was charged with the murder of Roberts the following day.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Myszczyszyn, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: “This is an utterly tragic case. I would like to pay tribute to the people who loved Roberts, and had to deal with losing him in such brutal and horrific circumstances. Their support for our investigation has been unwavering, and their bravery has been an inspiration. Nothing could bring Roberts back, but our commitment was to try to find some semblance of justice for a grieving family and community.

“The act was utterly senseless and the consequences, devastating. It will be remembered by Officers and Staff as one of the worst and saddest cases we have ever dealt with. The level of violence, and that it involved children, makes it almost incomprehensible.

“The diligence and dedication displayed by the team who responded and investigated was a credit to our Force and hopefully of some reassurance to the community as they continue to come to terms with this distressing and disturbing incident.

“Roberts’s future was stolen and that is an injustice that cannot be undone. We hope today’s sentence might at least offer some closure to those affected.

“It’s a stark and chilling lesson on the potential devastation of knife crime. If you, as a parent or a child, have any concerns about knives, please talk to us. We can all play a part in building a future free of such desperately sad and unnecessary loss of life. We will educate and engage on knife crime and we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for victims; as we do so, we will remember Roberts.”

Police officers in Lincolnshire continue to work around the clock to reduce weapons and associated crime in the county through Operation Raptor – the force’s ongoing commitment to keep Lincolnshire as safe as possible. 

Communities can help by being our eyes and ears and we urge residents to report any concerns to us, including if someone is in possession of a weapon or has made a threat to use one.

If you believe someone may carry a weapon or have one in their home, please report it to us by calling 101. If you suspect someone may be in danger, always call 999.

If you have information but don’t wish to speak with us, you can remain completely anonymous by making a report online to CrimeStoppers or by calling 0800 555 111.

Other options for help and support:

• You can call Childline on 0800 1111
• You can report concerns or suspicions anonymously online through the Crimestoppers ‘Fearless’ campaign. 
• You can get information, help and support from the Home Office #knifefree campaign 

Media notes

Family will not be issuing a statement or speaking to journalists and we urge you to respect their privacy and not attempt to make direct contact.

We will not be undertaking interviews on this occasion.

The full sentence is a minimum of 17 years. Some media are reporting the sentence as minimum of 16 years 36 days which is the sentence, minus time spent on remand. 

The pronunciation of Grzeszcz is Greesh.