Latest news with #AllSaintsCatholicHighSchool
BBC News
19 hours ago
- BBC News
Harvey Willgoose's killer obsessed with knives since age of 13, court hears
A teenage boy accused of murdering a fellow pupil at their school had been interested in knives since the age of 13, a court Willgoose, 15, was stabbed to death during his lunch break at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on 3 defendant, also 15, has admitted Harvey's manslaughter but denies murder and lawyers gave their closing speeches to the trial at Sheffield Crown Court Richard Thyne KC said the attack on Harvey was "purposeful aggression" and an "act of retribution" after the boys had taken opposite sides in a dispute involving other pupils. Mr Thyne added that the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, "wanted to show he was hard" and had become "obsessed" with weapons in the lead-up to Harvey's teenager said he did not remember the attack and that he lost control of Thyne said the defendant had ordered the hunting knife he used to kill Harvey before a previous falling-out with Harvey and his friend, and was someone with an "unhealthy interest in weapons" who had talked about "shanking" someone when he was 13 years told jurors the defendant had posted videos on social media with weapons, which he admitted posting because he "wanted some people to know he carried a knife" and "wasn't someone to be messed with".Mr Thyne told the court the defendant had also researched rage rooms and, just over a week before the fatal stabbing, searched "waiting for someone to swing so I can let out my anger". The prosecutor told the court that in footage of the fatal attack on Harvey, the defendant could be seen unzipping his coat, putting his hand in his pocket, and taking out the knife."He was acting with thought, with purpose and knew exactly what he was doing," he told jurors. Starting his closing address to the jury, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said the defendant "snapped" after years of bullying and "an intense period of fear at school".He told jurors: "Tragically, Harvey was a combination of being the final straw that broke (the defendant) and the unintended face of a series of threats of violence and bullying he had suffered in recent months."We say he suffered a loss of control which resulted in horrific and tragic consequences."Mr Hussain said: "It is a frightening state of affairs that boys and young men think the way to stay safe is by carrying a knife."It's like a nuclear arms race, and all that happens is the likelihood of them being used increases."The trial continues. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Schoolboy who killed fellow pupil had become ‘obsessed' with weapons, trial told
A schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death on their lunch break 'wanted to show he was hard' and had become 'obsessed' with weapons in the weeks before the killing, prosecutors have told a jury. The 15-year-old is on trial accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose, also 15, who was killed at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3. The defendant, who cannot be named, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder, saying he lost control and does not remember what happened. Giving his closing speech to jurors on Thursday, prosecutor Richard Thyne KC said the stabbing was 'purposeful aggression, likely explained as an act of retribution, getting back at Harvey for something'. The trial has heard the two boys fell out several days before Harvey's death after taking opposite sides in a dispute between two other boys. Mr Thyne said the defendant had ordered the hunting knife he used to kill Harvey before that incident, and was someone with an 'unhealthy interest in weapons' who had talked about 'shanking' someone when he was 13 years old. He told jurors the defendant had posted videos on social media with weapons, which he admitted posting because he 'wanted some people to know he carried a knife' and 'wasn't someone to be messed with'. Mr Thyne said the boy's internet searches showed 'not just someone with a growing fascination with weapons, but someone who really wanted to own them'. He said: 'You may think the searches aren't conducted by someone who has a specific and deep-rooted fear of someone, but by someone who's become obsessed.' He told the court the defendant had also researched rage rooms and, just over a week before the fatal stabbing, searched 'waiting for someone to swing so I can let out my anger'. Mr Thyne said this was echoed in the defendant's behaviour on the day he stabbed Harvey, and showed CCTV clips from the school which he said showed him trying to provoke Harvey, who remained 'peaceful'. The trial has heard evidence from another pupil who said Harvey told him the defendant had been acting like he had a knife under his jumper that morning, but Harvey had thought he was bluffing. Mr Thyne said: 'It's just a tragedy Harvey didn't realise (the defendant) reaching for, or indicating he had, a knife in (a science lesson), was genuine.' He told the court that in footage of the fatal attack on Harvey, the defendant could be seen unzipping his coat, putting his hand in his pocket, and taking out the knife. 'He was acting with thought, with purpose and knew exactly what he was doing,' he told jurors. The prosecutor said the school's headteacher had told police that after the stabbing, the defendant had told him he knifed Harvey 'once, maybe twice'. Mr Thyne said: 'This proves the lie when he says he can't remember. He knew then, just as he knows now, exactly what he'd done.' The prosecutor added the defendant was 'motivated by wanting to show he was hard, sending out a message about who he was, someone not to be messed with'. Starting his closing address to the jury, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said the defendant 'snapped' after years of bullying and 'an intense period of fear at school'. He told jurors: 'Tragically, Harvey was a combination of being the final straw that broke (the defendant) and the unintended face of a series of threats of violence and bullying he had suffered in recent months. 'We say he suffered a loss of control which resulted in horrific and tragic consequences.' Mr Hussain said: 'It is a frightening state of affairs that boys and young men think the way to stay safe is by carrying a knife. 'It's like a nuclear arms race, and all that happens is the likelihood of them being used increases. 'The sad truth is boys involved in this case, at the very least, were keen to make people think they did carry knives, keen to make people think they were ready to use them, and keen to make people think they knew older and more violent boys who were ready to do the same.' The trial continues.
The Independent
21 hours ago
- The Independent
Schoolboy who killed fellow pupil had become ‘obsessed' with weapons, trial told
A schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death on their lunch break 'wanted to show he was hard' and had become 'obsessed' with weapons in the weeks before the killing, prosecutors have told a jury. The 15-year-old is on trial accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose, also 15, who was killed at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3. The defendant, who cannot be named, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder, saying he lost control and does not remember what happened. Giving his closing speech to jurors on Thursday, prosecutor Richard Thyne KC said the stabbing was 'purposeful aggression, likely explained as an act of retribution, getting back at Harvey for something'. The trial has heard the two boys fell out several days before Harvey's death after taking opposite sides in a dispute between two other boys. Mr Thyne said the defendant had ordered the hunting knife he used to kill Harvey before that incident, and was someone with an 'unhealthy interest in weapons' who had talked about 'shanking' someone when he was 13 years old. He told jurors the boy's internet searches showed 'not just someone with a growing fascination with weapons, but someone who really wanted to own them'. Mr Thyne said: 'You may think the searches aren't conducted by someone who has a specific and deep rooted fear of someone, but by someone who's become obsessed.' He told the court the defendant had also researched rage rooms and, just over a week before the fatal stabbing, searched 'waiting for someone to swing so I can let out my anger'. Mr Thyne said this was echoed in the defendant's behaviour on the day he stabbed Harvey, and showed CCTV clips from the school which he said showed him trying to provoke Harvey, who remained 'peaceful'. The trial has heard evidence from another pupil who said Harvey told him the defendant had been acting like he had a knife under his jumper that morning, but Harvey had thought he was bluffing. Mr Thyne said: 'It's just a tragedy Harvey didn't realise (the defendant) reaching for, or indicating he had, a knife in (a science lesson), was genuine.' He told the court that in footage of the fatal attack on Harvey, the defendant could be seen unzipping his coat, putting his hand in his pocket, and taking out the knife. 'He was acting with thought, with purpose and knew exactly what he was doing,' he told jurors. The prosecutor said the school's headteacher had told police that after the stabbing, the defendant had told him he knifed Harvey 'once, maybe twice'. Mr Thyne said: 'This proves the lie when he says he can't remember. He knew then, just as he knows now, exactly what he'd done.' The prosecutor added the defendant was 'motivated by wanting to show he was hard, sending out a message about who he was, someone not to be messed with'. Starting his closing address to the jury, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said the defendant 'snapped' after years of bullying and 'an intense period of fear at school'. He told jurors: 'Tragically, Harvey was a combination of being the final straw that broke (the defendant) and the unintended face of a series of threats of violence and bullying he had suffered in recent months. 'We say he suffered a loss of control which resulted in horrific and tragic consequences.' he trial continues.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Harvey Willgoose murder accused 'abused at home', jury told
A 15-year-old schoolboy accused of murdering a fellow pupil had suffered "physical and emotional abuse" at home, his trial has teenager is on trial at Sheffield Crown Court for the murder of Harvey Willgoose, also 15, at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield in consultant forensic psychiatrists agreed there was "evidence of physical and emotional abuse and neglect in the defendant's home life, including lack of food and excessive physical chastisement," the court was told court has heard the boy, who cannot be named, admits manslaughter and possession of a knife on school premises but denies murder. In a statement read to the court by junior defence counsel Richard Holland, the psychiatrists said the defendant's "oppositional behaviour and defiance" was more obvious in said if he had had "appropriate boundaries and discipline," he would have better emotional added that incidents of aggression in the weeks and months before the alleged murder were "examples of his difficulties in controlling his emotions, including anger".Mr Holland said another report by two psychologists found the defendant's below average levels of verbal comprehension were because of his "adverse early experiences rather than a neurodevelopmental disorder".The court also heard a copy of Harvey's school timetable was found in the defendant's bedroom, and that only a member of staff or Harvey would have been able to print it the jury at the beginning of the trial, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said: "(The defendant) did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone."The defence say (the defendant's) actions that day were the end result of a long period of bullying, poor treatment and violence, things that built one upon another until he lost control and did tragically what we've all seen."The trial continues. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Schoolboy who stabbed fellow pupil to death suffered abuse at home, trial told
A schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death during their lunch break had suffered 'physical and emotional abuse' at home, a court heard. The 15-year-old is on trial accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose, also 15, who was killed at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3. On Wednesday, Sheffield Crown Court heard two consultant forensic psychiatrists agreed that there was 'evidence of physical and emotional abuse and neglect in (the defendant's) home life, including lack of food and excessive physical chastisement'. In a list of agreed facts read to the jury by junior defence counsel Richard Holland, the psychiatrists said his 'oppositional behaviour and defiance' was more obvious in school. They said that if he had had 'appropriate boundaries and discipline' he would have better emotional regulation, and that incidents of aggression in the weeks and months before the alleged murder were 'examples of his difficulties in controlling his emotions, including anger'. Mr Holland said another report by two psychologists found the defendant's below average levels of verbal comprehension were because of his 'adverse early experiences rather than a neurodevelopmental disorder'. The court also heard a copy of Harvey's school timetable was found in the defendant's bedroom, and that only a member of staff or Harvey would have been able to print it off. A jury has heard that the defendant, who cannot be named, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder. He has also admitted possession of a knife on school premises. Addressing the jury at the beginning of the trial, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said: '(The defendant) did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone. 'The defence say (the defendant's) actions that day were the end result of a long period of bullying, poor treatment and violence, things that built one upon another until he lost control and did tragically what we've all seen.' The trial continues.
