Mohammed Umar Khan, 15, has been named and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years for the murder of fellow 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose. The sentence was handed down by Mrs Justice Naomi Ellenbogen at Sheffield Crown Court on Wednesday, after Khan was found guilty in August. The judge lifted an anonymity order due to the seriousness of the offence, stating that the public should know the identity of those who commit such crimes.
The attack took place at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on 3 February during a lunchbreak. CCTV footage showed Khan pushing Harvey in the corridors before producing a 13cm hunting knife and stabbing him twice in the chest in the school courtyard. One blow penetrated Harvey's ribs and struck his heart. The court heard that students fled in fear and panic, with some locking themselves in cupboards.
During sentencing, the judge rejected claims of self-defence, telling Khan he had acted out of hurt and anger over what he perceived as a betrayal of their friendship. The court also heard that immediately after the stabbing, Khan told the headteacher: 'I'm not right in the head. My mum doesn't look after me right' and 'you know I can't control it.' Khan showed no emotion or remorse as the sentence was read out.
The trial heard that an argument between the two boys began over a school lockdown and a social media dispute. Khan's phone contained photos and videos of him posing with knives, and he had searched for weaponry online before the attack. His defence barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, said Khan had been bullied for years and 'snapped', but that the crime was inexcusable. He added that Khan would learn from his time in prison, unlike Harvey.
Harvey's family have since campaigned against knife crime and set up a youth club in his memory. His sister, Sophie, told the court: 'The pain will remain with us for the rest of our lives... he didn't just end Harvey's life, he ended ours too.' The school stated that they have engaged fully with investigations into the tragedy.
