A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years for murdering Sheffield schoolboy Harvey Willgoose in a lunch break knife attack.
Harvey, also 15, was stabbed twice in the chest by Mohammed Umar Khan outside their school cafeteria in February this year.
During sentencing at Sheffield Crown Court, judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen said Mohammed Umar Khan’s “senseless acts” were a “betrayal of your friendship”, adding the murder had a “devastating effect on Harvey’s family”.
Khan, who can now be named after the judge lifted reporting restrictions, took a 13cm hunting knife with him to All Saints Catholic High School.
CCTV showed Harvey arriving at the school, with earlier footage showing the attacker trying to provoke Harvey, who remained calm.
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Harvey Willgoose (L) was murdered by Mohammed Umar Khan (R). Pics: PA/Ben Lack Photography
The attacker was also seen in footage holding a knife in the canteen before the stabbing.
The boy had previously admitted to manslaughter but denied murder.
However, he was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court by a majority verdict of 11 to one.
Defence lawyers claimed the boy had “lost control” after years of bullying and “an intense period of fear at school”.
He told teachers after the stabbing “you know I can’t control it” and “I’m not right in the head”.
Harvey was stabbed outside of the school cafeteria. Pic: Ben Lack Photography Limited
Following the murder, the parents of Harvey, Caroline and Mark Willgoose, told Sky News they wanted to see knife arches “in all secondary schools and colleges”.
Katie Crook, associate vice principal of Penistone Grammar School, also called for schools to be “brave enough” to talk about knife crime.
Mohammed Umar Khan pictured in handcuffs having appeared in court on charges of murder. Pic: Ben Lack Photography
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Mrs Cook said: “It’s 100% a conversation, I think, that we need to be empowered and brave enough to have.”
She added: “We’re really lucky here that we don’t have a knife crime problem – but we are on the forefront with safeguarding initiatives.
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The parents of Harvey have been campaigning for knife arches to be used to make schools and colleges safer
‘Our mental health has been destroyed’
Ahead of sentencing, Harvey’s sister, Sophie Willgoose, described in her victim impact statement about the moment they were told about his murder.
“In that moment, our world was shattered forever,” she said.
She described Harvey as a “cheeky character” with a “warmth that made everyone love him”.
Ms Willgoose added: “The defendant didn’t just end Harvey’s life, he ended ours too. Our mental health has been destroyed.”
Mohammed Umar Khan, Harvey Willgoose’s killer, has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, said that while Khan had no previous convictions, he had previously taken an axe and a knife separately onto the school premises.
Khan and Harvey had “fronted up” to one another in confrontations at school, he added.
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