A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 16 years for the murder of fellow pupil Harvey Willgoose at a Sheffield school. Mohammed Umar Khan was named after a judge lifted reporting restrictions, ruling that his age alone did not justify anonymity given the seriousness of the offence.
The attack occurred on 3 February at All Saints Catholic High School during a lunch break. The court heard that Khan stabbed Harvey twice in the chest with a 13cm hunting knife, with one blow penetrating the ribs and hitting his heart. CCTV footage showed Khan pushing Harvey in corridors before producing the weapon.
Sentencing, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen rejected claims of self-defence, stating that Khan acted out of 'hurt and anger at what you considered to be his betrayal of your friendship'. She noted that Harvey may have said things that upset Khan, but added that this did not justify the attack. Khan showed no emotion or remorse as the sentence was read.
The court heard that Khan had previously reported another student for carrying a knife, leading to a school lockdown and a social media dispute between the two boys. Khan's phone contained images of him posing with knives, and he had searched for weaponry online before the stabbing.
Khan's defence said he had been bullied for years and 'snapped' after a period of intense fear, but acknowledged the crime was inexcusable. Harvey's family have since campaigned against knife crime and set up a youth club in his memory. His sister Sophie told the court: 'He didn't just end Harvey's life, he ended ours too.'
