Nicholas Prosper, a 19-year-old from Luton, Bedfordshire, committed a horrifying crime that has shocked the nation. In September of last year, he brutally murdered his mother and two younger siblings in their shared family flat. But the full extent of his evil intentions only became clear during his trial at Luton Crown Court.
Not only did Prosper plan and execute the murders of his own family, but he also had a far more sinister ambition—to become the UK’s worst mass school shooter.
His planned massacre at his former primary school was meant to cement his place in history as a mass murderer, motivated by a twisted desire for infamy. His case raises serious questions about online radicalization, mental health, and the limits of evil in the human psyche.
A Chilling Crime That Shook the Nation
On September 13, 2023, Nicholas Prosper carried out a meticulously planned attack on his family. His mother, 48-year-old Juliana Falcon, and his younger siblings, 16-year-old Kyle and 13-year-old Giselle, were all brutally murdered in their own home. The details of the crime are as disturbing as they are shocking.
Nicholas Prosper shot his mother and younger brother before repeatedly stabbing Kyle over 100 times in an act of extreme brutality. The court heard that Prosper conducted a test shot on a teddy bear in his bedroom before the actual killings, showing his cold and calculating approach.
His younger sister Giselle was found hiding under a dining table, likely in a desperate attempt to escape the carnage unfolding before her. But Prosper was relentless in his slaughter. The sheer savagery of the attack left even experienced prosecutors and investigators stunned.
The police were only alerted to the scene when a neighbor heard the commotion and called for help. By the time officers arrived, the carnage had already taken place. Nicholas Prosper did not attempt to escape.
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Instead, he was calm and collected when arrested, showing no remorse for the atrocities he had committed. But as investigators delved deeper, they uncovered something even more terrifying: this massacre was merely the beginning of his larger plan.
A Master Plan for Infamy
Nicholas Prosper was not content with just killing his family. The court revealed that he had been meticulously planning a mass shooting at his former primary school, St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Luton. His goal? To surpass every other mass killer in the UK and even challenge the infamy of school shooters worldwide.
His preparations were chillingly thorough. Prosper had conducted extensive research into mass shootings around the world, studying killers in the US, Norway, Australia, and New Zealand. He took detailed notes and carefully mapped out his attack.
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His plan was to strike during a school assembly, specifically targeting children as young as four and five, along with their teachers. He had analyzed school schedules, taken surveillance images from the school website, and mapped out every detail of his potential massacre.
His fascination with violence was so extreme that he even tried to contact a bereaved mother, asking for a picture of her murdered child. This act of depravity demonstrated the depth of his obsession with death and notoriety. He saw mass murder as a means to make himself famous, with no regard for the suffering of others.
Prosper went as far as designing a uniform for his planned attack, a black and yellow outfit he intended to wear during his killing spree. He filmed himself practicing, using a plank of wood as a mock gun.
He managed to obtain a real firearm—a shotgun—by creating a fake shotgun license and purchasing it from a legitimate online seller. He also acquired 100 shotgun cartridges, fully preparing himself for the bloodshed he intended to unleash.
However, in a twisted turn of events, he never carried out the school shooting. Instead, after murdering his family, he flagged down the police and allowed himself to be arrested. Whether this was a moment of hesitation or a final bid for attention remains uncertain.
The Psychology of a Killer: What Drove Nicholas Prosper?
One of the biggest questions surrounding this case is why Nicholas Prosper did what he did. His defense team attempted to argue that his mental state played a role in his actions.
According to his lawyer, Prosper had been severely socially and occupationally impaired from the age of 16. He had withdrawn from society, spending excessive time online, where he became consumed by dark and violent content.
He was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which contributed to his fixation on school shootings. Individuals with ASD sometimes develop highly focused interests, and in Nicholas Prosper’s case, this interest turned towards violence and mass killings.
His defense team argued that he had been drawn into an “internet wormhole,” where he consumed endless materials on past shootings and eventually sought to imitate and surpass them.
However, prosecutors argued that while he may have had social and developmental difficulties, this did not excuse his calculated, deliberate, and cold-blooded actions. ‘
He had spent months planning his crimes, crafting detailed notes, and carefully plotting his route to infamy. This was not the impulsive act of a disturbed young man; it was a meticulously designed blueprint for mass murder.
His chilling notes, found in his prison cell, further revealed his complete lack of remorse. One note read: “I wish I had killed more.” Another stated: “My plan wasn’t stupid. I was f****** right.” He even made references to cannibalism and sexual violence, though it is believed these were intended purely to amplify the horror of his crimes rather than actual intentions.
His father, Raymond Prosper, expressed the devastation that the murders had caused. In a statement read in court, he said, “Part of my soul died that day.” He had not only lost his wife and two children but also faced the horrifying truth that his own son was responsible for their deaths.
The Legacy of Nicholas Prosper: A Warning for Society
As Nicholas Prosper awaits sentencing, his case raises serious concerns about the dangers of online radicalization, the impact of unchecked mental health issues, and the terrifying reality of individuals who seek notoriety through violence.
His desire to be remembered as a mass murderer echoes the motivations of many school shooters worldwide. Nicholas Prosper was not motivated by any political or ideological cause. His only goal was fame—to be remembered as the worst of the worst.
This highlights the disturbing influence that mass killings have in inspiring other would-be attackers. The internet is rife with communities that glorify violence, and for individuals like Nicholas Prosper, these online spaces can become dangerous echo chambers that fuel their darkest impulses.
This case also raises important questions about how individuals with severe social and mental difficulties can be better supported before they reach a breaking point. Could earlier intervention have prevented this tragedy?
Were there warning signs that went unnoticed? As society grapples with these questions, one thing is clear: the story of Nicholas Prosper is a haunting reminder of the potential for evil that lurks in unexpected places.
His sentencing will bring some closure to the victims’ surviving family and the wider community, but the scars left by his actions will never fully heal. His crimes will be remembered, not for the infamy he craved, but as a tragic testament to the darkness that can grow when unchecked obsessions spiral into violence.
Nicholas Prosper will spend the rest of his life in prison, but his case serves as a grim warning. The battle against violent extremism, online radicalization, and the glorification of mass murder is far from over. His story must be a lesson for the future, ensuring that others like him are stopped before their fantasies become reality.