A 15-year-old boy has admitted to fatally stabbing his classmate at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield but denied the charge of murder.
Harvey Willgoose, also 15, was tragically killed on February 3, after being stabbed twice in the chest during a lunch break at the school.
In a hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday, the defendant, whose identity remains protected due to his age, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder.
He also admitted to carrying a blade onto school premises, a crime in itself. The court has scheduled a trial for June 30, with the defendant being held in youth detention until then.
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Harvey’s parents have since become vocal advocates against knife crime, vowing to establish a youth club in his memory in an effort to help prevent further tragedies.
They have also called for the installation of knife arches—similar to metal detectors used in airports and courts—at secondary schools to prevent the carrying of weapons.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the Sheffield community. Floral tributes and framed photographs of Harvey were left at the school, where he was remembered fondly as an “immensely popular” student whose “smile would light up the room,” according to the school’s head teacher.
Harvey’s funeral, which took place at Sheffield Cathedral, was attended by hundreds of mourners, honoring the life of the beloved teenager whose future was tragically cut short.
His parents have vowed to ensure their son’s memory lives on by working toward a safer environment for young people.
