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Murder

Teenager on Trial for Murder of 15-year-old Boy in School Courtyard

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A teenager has been on trial at Sheffield Crown Court for the murder of 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed to death in the courtyard of All Saints School on February 3, 2025. The defendant has admitted to carrying out the stabbing and to manslaughter, but denies murder. The trial has been ongoing for three weeks, with the defendant taking to the witness box on the first day of the defence case.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the jury that he punched a computer monitor in a lesson three months before the fatal stabbing because he believed a teacher had treated him unfairly. He said that he had been using his phone in class, but only to check the work he was doing, and that the teacher had assumed he was using it for social media.

The defendant claimed that he got angry and punched the monitor because he felt it was unfair that he was given a C4 - a 'red card' sanction that is equivalent to a detention - without being given the chance to explain himself. He also denied making any threats to a pupil at another school, stating that he meant to say 'temporarily blinded' when he said he had 'blinded' a pupil.

The trial continues, with the defendant expected to continue his evidence in the morning.

Key Takeaways:

  • The defendant has admitted to carrying out the stabbing and to manslaughter, but denies murder.
  • The defendant told the jury that he punched a computer monitor in a lesson three months before the fatal stabbing because he believed a teacher had treated him unfairly.
  • The defendant claimed that he got angry and punched the monitor because he felt it was unfair that he was given a C4 - a 'red card' sanction that is equivalent to a detention - without being given the chance to explain himself.
  • The defendant denied making any threats to a pupil at another school, stating that he meant to say 'temporarily blinded' when he said he had 'blinded' a pupil.
  • The trial continues, with the defendant expected to continue his evidence in the morning.
  • The defendant cannot be named for legal reasons.

Statistics:

  • The trial has been ongoing for three weeks.
  • The defendant has been in the witness box for one day, July 16, 2025.
  • The trial is listed for five weeks.
  • The defendant told the jury that he had been using his phone in class, but only to check the work he was doing.

Sources:

  • https://www.thestar.co.uk/newsletter
  • The Sheffield Crown Court
  • All Saints School

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