Kayleigh’s Love Story wins another four national awards

A short film produced by Leicestershire Police about the dangers of online grooming has won another four national awards.

Kayleigh’s Love Story beat 57 other films shortlisted for the prestigious EVCOM Platinum Award for the Best Film in all categories, announced at BAFTA’s Headquarters in Piccadilly, London.

The film also won Gold in the Social Media category, Silver in the Laurus Award category and Bronze in the Charity and Not for Profit category.

Made by the Force’s Communications and Engagement Directorate in association with Affixxius Films of Loughborough, Kayleigh’s Love Story tells the story of the last two weeks in the life of Measham schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood.

Kayleigh was groomed online by Luke Harlow, a 27-year-old man she had never previously met, over a period of 13 days in November 2015 before she finally agreed to meet him at his Ibstock home. Two days later, she was raped and murdered by Harlow’s next-door neighbour, 28-year-old Stephen Beadman, and her body dumped in a nearby field.

Kayleigh’s Love story was made last year, and initially it was screened to some 55,000 schoolchildren aged 11 and above at schools throughout Leicester, Leicestershire and in Rutland.

On January 3rd this year it was launched online, and to date has been viewed by an estimated 35 million people worldwide.

The film, which is available in numerous versions including signed, audio described, Polish, Hindi, Guajarati, Urdu, Punjabi, Welsh, French and German, has already won three other awards including Gold awards from The Royal Television Society and from DRUM, and has most recently been praised by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in a recent report of Child Protection.

Deputy Chief Constable Roger Bannister said: “The reaction to the film has been truly astonishing, and to have won this latest, and hugely coveted, national award is a remarkable achievement for a police force and all those who were involved in its production and distribution.

“As I have said several times before, winning awards and recognition for ones work is always very pleasing. But the whole point of making this film was to warn children and adults alike about the dangers of online activity, and without doubt this film has already saved lives.”

Tim Cabrelii, Senior Partner at Affixxius Films, said: “We’re delighted to win this award and continue to get the important messages around ‘Kayleigh’s Love Story’ out in the public domain further. This is our first ever EVCOM award and we couldn’t be prouder that it’s for such an impactful piece of work and useful tool for Leicestershire Police and other child protection organisations.”