Two 14-year-old boys have been found guilty of the murder of 14-year-old Ana Kriegel in Co Dublin last year.

Both boys have been granted anonymity due to their age, and were referred to as Boy A and Boy B throughout the trial.

Boy A has also been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault.

The boys are the youngest people in the history of the state to ever be convicted of murder.

The jury of eight men and four women deliberated for 14 hours and 25 minutes, after a six-week trial in Dublin’s Central Criminal Court.

Ana Kriegel’s naked body was found with a ligature around the neck in a derelict house in Lucan, Co Dublin, days after the 14 year-old went missing on May 14, 2018.

Former state pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy identified around 50 areas of injury on the schoolgirl’s head and body, and concluded the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck.

Ms Cassidy also said that there was evidence of penetration or attempted penetration of the vagina.

The jury foreman’s hand shook as she handed over papers to the court clerk, before stating they had found both boys guilty on all the charges facing them respectively.

Justice Paul McDermott thanked the jury who he said “were brought off the street to consider these matters, which is all the more reason to express deep appreciation to you, I can’t offer you anything but most the most sincere gratitude and excuse you all”.

After the verdict, Ana’s parents, Patric and Geraldine Kriegel hugged each other and their friends and wept in the court room.

Outside court, Mr Kriegel told media that their daughter Ana was “our strength”.

Her mother said: “Ana was a dream come true for us, and she always will be.

“She’ll stay in our hearts forever loved and forever cherished.

“We love you, Ana.”

Boy B’s father left the room immediately after the verdict, slamming the door, before returning shortly after, clapping and loudly stating: “An innocent child is going to prison.”

Both Boy A and B’s mothers wept and held their sons before they were taken by Gardai to detention.

Both boys have been remanded in detention until July 15.

Justice McDermott asked for both boys’ school reports as well as a number of social work reports.

The jury were asked to consider a raft of evidence in the case including over 15 hours of police interviews, statements from juvenile witnesses, CCTV tapes, and a number of items and clothing.

Semen staining on a top found at the scene where Ana’s body was discovered contained the DNA of Boy A.

Marce Lee Gorman, of Forensic Science Ireland, examined the black top, which she said was torn and badly damaged, with parts of the fabric pulled and stretched.

She also examined Ana’s bra and found that the fabric between the cups was torn apart and that the hooks on the bra clasp were stretched and bent, “possibly by pulling”.

Blood stains were also found on the front of the left cup, right strap and close to one of the hooks. These all matched Ana’s blood.

The witness also examined Ana’s black leggings and pants and found blood stains on the crotch area of her leggings.

Blood expert and DNA specialist John Hoade testified that the blood evidence showed Boy A either assaulted Ana or was in a very close proximity when she was assaulted.

The black boots that Boy A was wearing on the day Ana disappeared were examined and found to have blood stains on nine separate areas.

The blood stains all matched Ana’s DNA profile.

The jury was also shown a long wooden stick and concrete block that were removed from the scene.

The wooden stick, which was charred at one end, measured 92cm in length and 4 x 3cm in width.

There was also a nail or staple protruding from both ends.

The witness told the court there was heavy blood staining at the charred end of the stick, and these stains all matched Ana’s DNA profile.

The concrete block, which was a section of a nine-inch block, had blood stains on all six surfaces.

Boy B’s defence counsel told the jury that the boy, who was accused of luring Ana to the site of her death, was “set up” by his co-accused.

Boy B told the officers that after he returned home from school that day, Boy A called to his house and asked him to call for Ana.

He said he thought Boy A wanted to tell Ana he did not want a relationship with her, as someone had previously told him Ana liked Boy A.

“At first I said no but then he started saying ‘please, please, please’. At last I agreed.”

After a number of interviews, Boy B admitted he had been in the house with Ana and Boy A but ran away when Boy A began raping Ana.

The court also heard a number of items were seized from Boy B’s house including adhesive tape that was the same brand found around Ana’s neck.

The tape was found in the shed.

Boy B’s father explained it was specialised tape used for insulation.

During questioning, Boy A said he was in the company of Ana on May 14, but when police told him that Ana’s parents reported her missing at 8pm, he denied being with her in the period leading up to that time.

Boy A returned home that evening with a number of injuries, and claimed that he was attacked by two men in the local park where he had last seen her.

Ana’s mother told the court she was “immediately concerned” when she discovered her daughter had left home with one of the boys.

Ana’s father told the court that her primary school years were “very happy years” but she was then bullied in secondary school in the months before she died.