A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of killing another student during lunch break at a school in Sheffield.
The victim, Harvey Willgoose, also 15 years old, was stabbed in the heart with a hunting knife. This happened at All Saints Catholic High School on Monday, 3rd February.
The court heard that earlier that day, Harvey and the boy had a disagreement during a lesson. Later, during lunch, the boy attacked Harvey.
The trial lasted about a month at Sheffield Crown Court. The boy, who can’t be named because of his age, admitted that he had a knife and had caused Harvey’s death, but he said he didn’t mean to murder him.
The jury didn’t agree. By a majority of 11 to 1, they found him guilty of murder.
After the verdict was read, Harvey’s family could be heard shouting “yes” from the public gallery. Some of them were crying.
The judge, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, told the boy that he will likely be sentenced in October.
The jury was told that Harvey was attacked in the school’s courtyard. This happened after the two boys had argued over social media in the days before.
They had also taken sides in a fight between two other students. That earlier argument had caused the school to go into lockdown on 29 January.
During the trial, the jury watched CCTV footage from the day Harvey was stabbed. It showed the boy walking up to Harvey in the courtyard, shortly after midday.
The two stood for a moment and seemed to talk. Then, the boy suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed Harvey in the chest. The knife was so powerful it cut through a rib.
One girl who saw what happened told the court, “People were running, screaming everywhere. It was, like, chaos.”
Another student said some kids locked themselves in a cupboard and pushed things against the door to block it.
The boy told the jury that he didn’t mean to kill Harvey or seriously hurt him. When asked about the stabbing, he said he couldn’t remember exactly what happened — only that he “snapped” and lost control.But the prosecutors disagreed. They said the boy wanted to prove he was tough and knew exactly what he was doing. They said he had an “unhealthy interest in weapons” and had searched online for things like “zombie killer knife.”
jury was also told that the boy
The jury was also told that the boy had taken photos of himself holding weapons, including a knife and an axe, to try and scare others.
After the verdict, Harvey’s sister, Sophie, spoke outside the court. She said Harvey had a special way of bringing people together.
“He was deeply loved by our family, treasured by his friends, and respected by everyone who knew him,” she said.
She spoke about the pain people are still feeling. “Many have been traumatised. Some saw things no one should ever see. Others held Harvey in his final moments. To them, we send our deepest love and strength.”
Sophie also said the family will keep fighting against knife crime to make the future safer — not just for their own children, but for everyone.
“This tragedy has broken our family, and the pain has spread far beyond us. People all over the country are grieving the loss of our beautiful boy,” she said.
Steve Davies, head of the trust that runs the school, said several investigations will now take place.
He said, “Harvey’s death was an unimaginable tragedy, and it’s natural that his family and others have many questions. We will work closely with them to make sure everything is looked at and no important question is left unanswered.”
A big part of the trial focused
A big part of the trial focused on the boy’s fear that other teenagers might be carrying knives.
The court heard that the school went into lockdown the week before Harvey was killed. This happened after a fight between two other students, and the boy told staff that one of them had a weapon — though no knife was ever found.
The jury was told that this incident, along with an argument on Snapchat, is what led the boy to start carrying a knife the following week.
He said he didn’t plan to hurt anyone. He told the court that he only carried the knife because he thought if he showed it, others might back off and not try to pull one out themselves.
an independent review will be carried out to understand how this happened. She said it’s “absolutely essential” that all questions are answered.
A big part of the trial focused on the boy’s fear that other teenagers might be carrying knives.
The court heard that the school went into lockdown the week before Harvey was killed. This happened after a fight between two other students, and the boy told staff that one of them had a weapon — though no knife was ever found.
The jury was told that this incident, along with an argument on Snapchat, is what led the boy to start carrying a knife the following week.
He said he didn’t plan to hurt anyone. He told the court that he only carried the knife because he thought if he showed it, others might back off and not try to pull one out themselves.
Rachel Baldwin, from the Crown
Rachel Baldwin, from the Crown Prosecution Service, spoke directly to young people who carry knives. She asked them to stop putting lives at risk.
“There can be terrible and serious consequences,” she said. “You’re not only putting others in danger, but also risking your own future.”
Detective Inspector Joe Hackworthy, one of the lead officers on the case, said the boy’s choice had “torn two families apart.”
“Tonight, one family is grieving the loss of their much-loved son,” he said. “And another family is facing the painful truth that their son will spend years in prison for murder.”
He added, “Our thoughts are with everyone who knew and loved Harvey.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said Harvey was a “young man full of potential.”
He thanked the police and legal teams for their hard work in such a difficult case.
“My thoughts are especially with Harvey’s parents, Caroline and Mark,” he said. “Their strength and dignity has been truly remarkable.”
“South Yorkshire stands with them.”