A chilling court case has revealed how a teenage schoolboy waited by the corpse of his 12-year-old victim to speak with police officers after stabbing him to death in a brutal and apparently random parkland attack.
Fatal Attack in Shire Country Park
Leo Ross, described by loved ones as an "amazing, kind, loving" boy from Birmingham, was killed during an attack in Shire Country Park, Hall Green, on January 21 last year. The 12-year-old was stabbed in the stomach while walking home from the Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood.
He was rushed to hospital from a riverside path but tragically succumbed to his injuries. The court heard that the assailant, a 15-year-old boy who was 14 at the time of the murder, had no prior connection to Leo, leading senior officers to believe this was a completely random and unprovoked act of violence.
Killer's Deception at the Scene
In a disturbing twist, West Midlands Police established that the teenage attacker opted to remain at the murder scene to converse with responding officers. He falsely claimed to have stumbled across the fatally injured Leo lying beside the River Cole, attempting to disguise his involvement in the crime.
Subsequent police inquiries revealed that the knife used in the killing was thrown into a nearby river. The investigation also uncovered that the youth, who was riding a bicycle, had previously hunted down and attacked several women in local parkland prior to this fatal incident.
Guilty Pleas and Further Charges
The defendant, who cannot be identified due to his age, has pleaded guilty to murder and several other charges. These include:
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to previous attacks on separate victims.
- Possession of a bladed article on the day he killed Leo.
He denied two further charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating in relation to two other people; these charges were ordered to lie on file. The guilty pleas were entered more than six months after a trial was postponed to allow psychiatric experts to assess the defendant.
Sentencing and Remand
Judge Paul Farrer KC addressed the defendant in court, stating that sentencing could not proceed immediately for several reasons. He confirmed that sentencing would be set for February 10 and would likely last the full day.
"You will be sentenced on the 10th of February and you will be brought from wherever you are being kept to Birmingham where you can speak to your lawyers," Judge Farrer told the defendant. "In the meantime you are remanded into youth detention."
A Community in Mourning
Leo Ross was laid to rest in March last year during a heartfelt ceremony in Yardley Wood. In a poignant tribute to his young life, he was carried to church in a coffin painted a bright blue, adorned with artwork including paintings of games consoles on the sides of the casket.
This tragic case has sent shockwaves through the local community, highlighting grave concerns about youth violence and random attacks in public spaces. The forthcoming sentencing on February 10 will mark a significant moment in this harrowing legal proceeding.
