A short film about a teenage boy who was groomed and murdered is being produced to help raise awareness among boys of the dangers of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

The film about teenager Breck Bednar is being made in an innovative collaboration between four UK police forces.

Breck Bednar,14, was killed by computer engineer Lewis Daynes, who was 18, after he was lured to his flat in Grays.

Surrey, Essex and Northamptonshire Police forces have combined in the project which is being managed by Leicestershire Police which made the award-winning film Kayleigh’s Love Story.

The film is being made with the active support of Breck’s mother Lorin LaFave, who will appear as herself in the film and who set up the Breck Foundation shortly after her son’s tragic death in 2014.

It is being funded by Leicestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach with additional contributions from Surrey Police.

The film comes two years after Leicestershire Police produced Kayleigh’s Love Story, a film about the grooming, rape and murder of 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood, which has led directly to 50 children in Leicestershire coming forward and disclosing that they were being groomed by predators.

The film has been viewed by an estimated 36.6m people worldwide and has won eight national industry awards.

Breck’s mother Lorin said: “When I first learned about Kayleigh’s tragic story of grooming online, and saw the amazing short film Kayleigh’s Love Story, I knew I wanted similar exposure for Breck’s tragedy as I believe only through education of grooming and exploitation can we strive to empower our young people to keep safer online. 

“Because the characteristics of grooming are similar, with the control, manipulation, befriending, compliments, gifts, building a relationship through shared interests and laughs, I felt that a boy’s version with gaming and computing was a natural follow on to Kayleigh’s version of a girl being groomed through social media for a relationship.

“I am so thankful to Leicestershire Police and the other police forces for enabling this film to happen and I look forward to working together to create a safer online for our children."

Matt Tapp, Director of Strategic Communications at Leicestershire Police, said he hoped this film, to be called “Breck’s Last Game” would be equally successful in raising awareness of CSE. 

He said: “During screenings of Kayleigh’s Love Story to parents in Leicestershire, a number talked about Breck’s case.

“Following an initial meeting with Lorin earlier this year, and detailed talks with Surrey, with Essex, and with Northamptonshire with whom we have a joint CSE Communications Strategy, we all decided that we should make a film about what happened to Breck.

“Each of the four forces will decide how best it wishes to disseminate the film, but certainly in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire we hope that, in liaison with schools, we can show it to schoolchildren in controlled screenings as we did with Kayleigh’s Love Story.

“At some point late next year we intend to post the film online, with suitable warnings about its content.”

Following a procurement process, the contract to make Breck’s Last Game has been awarded to Affixxius Films of Loughborough, who also produced Kayleigh’s Love Story.

Casting sessions will be held in January and it is anticipated that the film will be completed by mid-March. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron, head of Essex Police’s Crime and Public Protection Command, said: “We know that boys are less willing to report CSE offences than girls.

"When Leicestershire Police approached us having spoken with Lorin LaFave about making a film specifically to reach out to boys we wanted to be involved.

“I hope the film will be as successful as Kayleigh’s Love Story in raising awareness and warning boys about the dangers of online grooming.”