A 19-year-old British man who murdered his mother and two younger siblings as part of a foiled plan to carry out a mass shooting at his former elementary school has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 49 years. Luton Crown Court heard that Nicholas Prosper sought to orchestrate "the biggest massacre in the 21st century," inspired by infamous mass killings worldwide.
Prosper admitted to killing his mother Juliana Falcon, 48, his brother Kyle Falcon, 16, and sister Giselle Falcon, 13, in the early hours of September 13, 2024. The attacks, carried out at the family's home in Luton, approximately 45 miles north of London, were intended as a prelude to a mass shooting at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, where Prosper and his siblings once studied.
During sentencing on Wednesday, Mrs. Justice Cheema-Grubb described Prosper's actions as "intelligent, calculating, and selfish," telling him directly, "You intended to unleash disaster on the community of Luton." She added, "Your ambition was notoriety. You wanted to be known posthumously as the world's most famous school shooter of the 21st century."
The court heard that Prosper had meticulously planned the attack, conducting months of surveillance on the school and forging a shotgun certificate to purchase a weapon and 100 cartridges for £650. He intended to kill 30 pupils, two teachers, and his family before taking his own life, prosecutors said.
His plan unraveled when his mother discovered his possession of a loaded shotgun and confronted him. Prosecutor Timothy Cray told the court, "The defendant's main wish was to achieve lasting notoriety as a mass killer. Specifically, he wanted to imitate and even surpass other mass killers around the world."
Juliana Falcon was killed by a shotgun blast to the head after a struggle in which she sustained slash wounds and bruises. Kyle was shot twice and stabbed more than 100 times. Giselle was shot in the face and found hiding beneath a dining table. After the murders, Prosper fled the scene carrying the weapon and ammunition, which police later recovered hidden in nearby bushes.
Bedfordshire Police responded to reports from neighbors who heard disturbances and gunshots. Prosper, realizing the police presence thwarted his plans, flagged down officers and was arrested.
A note found by authorities outlined his intentions in chilling detail. Diagrams indicated the layout of classrooms at St Joseph's, with annotations such as "Kill all." Cray said Prosper had researched mass shootings in the U.S., Norway, Australia, and New Zealand, aspiring to surpass their death tolls.
During the hearing, Cheema-Grubb emphasized the tragedy of the lives lost but noted that their deaths likely prevented greater carnage. "The community owes them its gratitude and their memory should be honored," she said.
Prosper's father, Raymond, said in a statement read outside court: "We now see the deaths of Juliana, my son Kyle, and daughter Giselle had much more meaning and importance. Their deaths and the fast response of Bedfordshire police stopped any other family in the community going through the pain we have suffered."
Police investigators described Prosper's actions as unprecedented. Detective Chief Inspector Sam Khanna said, "I've been utterly shocked and appalled by the actions and plans of the offender in this case, and I'm pleased that this truly evil individual will serve a significant proportion of his life behind bars."
Prosper had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but medical experts told the court that his condition did not explain his lack of empathy or remorse. One doctor concluded he displayed "psychopathic traits." Cheema-Grubb clarified that Prosper's diagnosis did not impair his ability to understand his crimes or exercise self-control.
In addition to murder, Prosper pleaded guilty to possession of a knife blade in a public place, purchasing or acquiring a shotgun without a certificate, and possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life. His attack, had it been carried out as planned, could have surpassed the scale of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in the United States.
