Handout
A Toronto judge must now decide if the 17-year-old girl convicted of first-degree murder in Stefanie Rengel's death will receive an adult or a youth sentence.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer says he will sentence the girl, known only as M.T., on July 28.
M.T. used sexual blackmail against her boyfriend to get him to kill the 14-year-old Rengel, who was stabbed six times and left to die on an east-end Toronto sidewalk on New Year's Day 2008.
M.T. addressed the court for the first time today saying she "never meant for this all to occur."
She says she takes full responsibility for her part in the murder and added that she had learnt many lessons from the tragedy.
M.T's defence lawyer says his client deserves a youth sentence because she was not physically involved in the murder.
Marshall Sack says M.T. only uttered words and did not commit deeds leading to Rengel's death.
Mr. Sack also says M.T.'s earlier conversations with her boyfriend and Rengel's killer, known as D.B., were not calculated planning but part of her obsessive and anxious personality.
Earlier, Crown prosecutors called M.T.'s involvement in the case a deliberate campaign for which she had yet to show remorse.
The Crown is seeking an adult sentence for M.T. with no parole for seven years.
Prosecutors say M.T. continues to minimize her role in the murder and this is evident from the statement she delivered in court today.
The now 19-year-old D.B. pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
M.T., who was found guilty by a jury, said she was sorry for "what I have said and done to contribute" to Ms. Rengel's death and wished she could go back in time and change her words.
The Crown says M.T.'s statement shows she hasn't taken responsibility for the first-degree murder and has not changed.
An adult sentence carries with it an automatic life in imprison with no chance of parole for five to seven years. A youth sentence means 10 years in custody - six served in jail and four served in the community under supervision.
During the trial, the Crown entered into evidence more than 30,000 pages of instant messaging transcripts between the girl and her boyfriend, including conversations apparently detailing their plans for Rengel.
In one chilling instant-message exchange in October 2007, the accused appeared to suggest to her boyfriend she wanted Rengel dead.
The boyfriend, who once dated Ms. Rengel, writes: "What about Stef," according to transcripts filed with the court.
"Bang, bang," she replies.
He then writes: "I need a bang bang first ... I wanna bang you."
She writes: "I want her dead ... lol we've been through this ... If it takes more than a week then we're just going to be friends."
D.B.'s sentencing hearing is scheduled for September.