A CHARITY which focuses on the protection of children has described the murder of Southampton schoolgirl Lucy McHugh as "horrific".
The NSPCC has also labelled the 13-year-old's killer, Stephen Nicholson, as "extremely dangerous".
It comes after the 25-year-old was found guilty of her murder following a trial at Winchester Crown Court.
Nicholson was also found guilty, by a majority decision, of three counts of rape against Lucy.
He was also found guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child - a different girl who was 14 at the time.
An NSPCC spokesperson said: “This is a horrific case in which a young girl’s life was brutally cut short by a predator who had already subjected her to sickening sexual abuse.
“It is clear that Nicholson is an extremely dangerous individual and it is right that he is now facing the consequences of his actions."
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