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"Any existing stocks of this game held by retailers must be removed from the shelves immediately."

Fears that the game "Manhunt" may have influenced the murder of a UK teenager earlier this year have prompted Australia to ban the game, it has been revealed. Parents of murdered 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah claimed the game had influenced their son's killer, 17-year-old Warren Leblanc. This prompted UK retailers Dixons and Game to pull the title from their shelves.

The reader can make their own mind up as to whether this game is responsible for anyone being killed. However, its interesting to note that Leicester police, who investigated the murder, had this to say:

"[We have] ruled out the game as an influence on the murder, which is believed to have been motivated by Leblanc's need to obtain money to pay back a drug-related debt."

This is total nonsense. I realise that when your child dies, you look for answers. But those answers are more likely to be found in a society that abuses children, and allows them to be abused, rather than in a computer game. This is scapegoating of the worst kind.

I've read on the Reg that it was tha victim who was playing manhunt, not the assasin ... Plus when your 14 YO son has drug debts I think you have first to wonder if you are a good father / mother before looking elsewhere.

They have just made this game a legend by banning it.

It was the 17 year old that had the drug debts. But it doesn't matter. The important thing is that this game was not responsible for that 14 year old boy's death, the police said as much.