Boy who murdered Harvey Willgoose detained for minimum of 16 years

A 15-year-old boy who stabbed fellow pupil Harvey Willgoose to death during a school lunch break has been detained for at least 16 years.

Mohammed Umar Khan, who can now be named following a judge’s ruling, took a hunting knife to school and knifed the teenager in the heart in front of horrified children on February 3.

Khan’s trial heard how other pupils fled “in fear and panic”, some locking themselves in a school cupboard, after the fatal attack at the All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield.

He was found guilty of murder in August, with Harvey’s sister, Sophie Willgoose, describing the killing as “not just a crime against my brother, it was a crime against all of us who loved him”.

During his sentencing hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, the defendant was told by judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen: “You were the aggressor and… you acted in hurt and anger at what you considered to be his betrayal of your friendship.”

Khan showed no reaction as he stood in the dock, with Harvey’s family looking down on the defendant from the public gallery.

Speaking after the hearing, Harvey’s mother, Caroline Willgoose, told reporters she was pleased Khan had been “made an example of”.

She said: “I feel like a big weight’s been lifted off my shoulders, to be honest.

“We just need to get on with our lives and try and do good things for our Harvey, for those kids.”

Mrs Willgoose added: “He (Khan) doesn’t look like he’s sorry but I just hope that’s his mask.

“I’m just glad that I’m never going back into that place again.”

On Wednesday, the judge agreed to lift an order banning Khan’s identification following applications from a number of media organisations, including the PA news agency.

She told the court she had to balance the need to fully report a very serious case with the welfare of the defendant, who turns 16 next month.

The judge said: “This was a serious crime carried out by one pupil on another on school property with a knife he brought into school.

“It was witnessed to varying degrees by other pupils and teachers.

“The public will wish to know the identity of those who commit such offences in seeking to understand how it is a child of that age can do so.”

Harvey’s parents, Mark and Caroline, were watching from the back row of the public gallery with other family members, including his sister, Sophie.

In her statement to the court, Harvey’s sister said her family are “struggling to comprehend the fact that Harvey was murdered in the most cruel and inhumane way”.

She said: “This was not just a crime against my brother, it was a crime against all of us who loved him.”

Ms Willgoose continued: “The pain will remain with us for the rest of our lives.

“We want justice not only for Harvey, but for the family that will carry his loss forever.”

Ms Willgoose said the family were made to “endure” and are “haunted daily” by the CCTV footage of the killing because Khan “refused to take any responsibility” for what he had done.

She told the court: “The defendant didn’t just end Harvey’s life, he ended ours too.”

The jury in Khan’s trial watched CCTV footage of the incident which showed how he stabbed Harvey twice.

One of the blows cut through one of his ribs and pierced his heart.

Jurors heard Khan told All Saints headteacher Sean Pender immediately after the stabbing: “I’m not right in the head. My mum doesn’t look after me right.”

The school’s assistant head, Morgan Davis, took the knife off the defendant and heard him say “you know I can’t control it”, which the teacher took to be a reference to his anger issues, given previous incidents of violent behaviour at school.

All Saints Catholic High School said in a statement following the sentencing hearing that the school and the trust have “been able to engage fully with a number of ongoing investigations aimed at answering key questions about Harvey’s tragic death”.