Boy, 15, found guilty of murdering fellow pupil.
IMAGE SOURCE, FAMILY HANDOUT
-
- Author, Chloe Aslett & David Spereall
- Role, BBC News, Yorkshire
-
8 August 2025
A 15-year-old boy has been convicted of murdering a fellow student whom he stabbed during a lunch break at a Sheffield school. Harvey Willgoose, who was also 15, died after being stabbed in the heart with a hunting knife at All Saints Catholic High School on Monday, February 3. The jury in a month-long trial at Sheffield Crown Court was told that Harvey was attacked after a fight between the two during a lesson earlier that day.
The defendant, who cannot be identified due to his age, admitted manslaughter and possessing a knife but denied murdering the teen. He was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one. After the verdict, members of Harvey’s family could be heard shouting “yes” from the public gallery, followed by tears. The judge, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, informed the boy that he would most likely be sentenced in October.
Jurors heard Harvey was attacked in the school’s courtyard after the two teenagers had a disagreement over social media in the days before. They had taken opposing sides in a separate conflict involving two other students, which resulted in the school being briefly locked down on January 29.
During the trial, the jury was shown CCTV footage from the day of the stabbing, showing the defendant approaching Harvey in the courtyard shortly after midday. The two stood for a moment, appearing to converse, before the boy took out a knife and stabbed Harvey in the chest, severing a rib in the process.
One girl who testified in the trial stated, “People were running and screaming everywhere. “It was like chaos.” The defendant told jurors that he had no intention of killing Harvey or causing him serious harm, and when asked about the attack, he claimed he couldn’t remember what happened, only that he had “snapped” and “lost control” of his actions.
He told the court he had been bullied and could “get angry quickly,” claiming he had received racist abuse and social media taunts about a medical condition. He claimed he had been neglected and subjected to physical and emotional abuse at home.
However, prosecutors stated that he “wanted to show he was hard” and “knew exactly what he was doing,” claiming he had a “unhealthy interest in weapons” and had looked up “zombie killer knife” and other blades online.
The jury learnt that the defendant had previously taken pictures of himself with weapons, including a knife and an axe, to warn others to stay away.
IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA
Harvey’s sister, Sophie, said he had a “unique ability to bring people together” after the verdict was announced outside the court.
“He was deeply loved by his family, cherished by his friends, and respected by all who knew him,” she told me. “Many people have been traumatised. Some witnessed the unthinkable, while others held Harvey as he took his final breath.
We send them our deepest love and strength.” She went on to say that the family would continue to campaign against knife crime in order to create a safer future for everyone, not just their children. “This tragedy has not only devastated our family, but has reverberated throughout the country.
“People all over are still mourning the loss of our beautiful boy,” she said.
Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, stated that a number of investigations would be conducted following the trial.
“Harvey’s death was an unimaginable tragedy for all, and it understandably raises a number of questions from his family and others,” he said. “We will engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered and no key questions are left unresolved.”
Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, stated that an independent review of the circumstances surrounding Harvey’s death would be conducted, emphasising the importance of answering all questions.
IMAGE SOURCE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE
Much of the trial revolved around the defendant’s perceived fear of other teenagers carrying knives.
The court heard that the school was put on lockdown the week before Harvey’s murder due to a fight between two other students, which prompted the defendant to raise the alarm. He claimed one of the students involved in the fight was armed, but no weapon was found.
The jury heard that this incident, combined with an argument over Snapchat, prompted him to arm himself the following week.
He claimed he had no intention of causing harm to anyone, telling the jury that if he “pulled it out, somebody wouldn’t try to pull out theirs”.
IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA
Rachel Baldwin of the Crown Prosecution Service asked teenagers who carry weapons to “stop putting lives in danger” in a direct appeal. “There can be horrendous and serious consequences,” she told me.
“You are putting yourself, other people and your future at risk.” Det Insp Joe Hackworthy, one of the case’s lead investigators, stated that the boy’s decision resulted in “tearing the lives of two families apart.” “Tonight, one boy’s family will be spending another night grieving the unimaginable loss of their beloved son, while another boy’s family will be living with the reality that their son faces a life sentence behind bars for murder,” the pastor said.”Our thoughts today are with all those who knew and loved Harvey.”
The Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, described Harvey as a “young man full of potential”. He thanked the police and legal teams for their professionalism in obtaining a verdict and bringing the “particularly harrowing” case to a conclusion.
“My thoughts, as always, remain with his family – particularly [his parents] Caroline and Mark, whose strength, courage and dignity has been remarkable,” wrote Coppard. “South Yorkshire stands with them.”
Read more on Straightwinfortoday.com
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.