A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of murdering his classmate Harvey Wilgoose at their Sheffield school, after a jury rejected his claim of loss of control due to bullying. The conviction came after more than 14 hours of jury deliberations with an 11-1 majority verdict, as WalesOnline reports.
Harvey Wilgoose, 15, was fatally stabbed during his lunch break at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3, 2024. He died from stab wounds to the heart after being stabbed twice by his classmate, according to court evidence.
Critical warning missed
Harvey specifically warned a teacher about his killer having a knife just one hour before the fatal attack. Harvey told the teacher "the way he's moving, he's got a knife on him" after removing himself from a science lesson when the defendant entered.
Caroline Wilgoose, Harvey's mother, revealed her son had expressed fears about the weapon threat days before his death. When the school went into lockdown on January 29, Harvey told his mother he knew someone had "a weapon in there for me".
The school lockdown occurred after the defendant told teachers that Harvey had threatened to stab him and his friend. Police attended but found no weapon, yet the defendant had an established pattern of bringing weapons to school, including an axe.
Family's systemic criticism
Caroline Wilgoose accused the school of missing multiple warning signs and failing to properly search the defendant despite having reasons to suspect he carried a weapon. "If you've got a reason to ask, you've got a reason to search," she told The Trial podcast.
The family's trauma was compounded by learning of Harvey's death through social media rather than official channels, as WalesOnline reports. Caroline criticised academy schools for prioritising reputation over student safety, arguing they "shove knife crime under the carpet".
Harvey's character emerges as someone who helped bullied students, with Caroline receiving messages from children across the country thanking Harvey for his support. "Harvey was a busy body and it's cost him his life," she said.
Trial outcome
The defendant had pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of loss of control but denied murder. The trial heard he had a reputation for bringing weapons into school and was seen "acting like he had a knife" to intimidate Harvey on the morning of the attack.
All Saints Catholic High School said it recognised Harvey's death had raised questions from his family and would "engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered".
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "WalesOnline" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
