A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of murdering fellow pupil Harvey Willgoose during a lunch break at a Sheffield school earlier this year.

The verdict was delivered today (Friday, 8 August) at Sheffield Crown Court following a six-week trial. The defendant—who cannot be named for legal reasons—had admitted manslaughter and possession of a bladed article on school premises but denied murder.

A jury unanimously convicted him of murder. He will be sentenced at a later date.

The incident occurred on 3 February at All Saints Catholic High School. Police were called at 12:17 p.m. after reports that a pupil had been stabbed. Officers arrived to find Harvey, also 15, suffering a stab wound to the chest from a hunting knife. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward.

The attacker was arrested at the scene. During the trial, he claimed he carried the knife for self-protection, citing perceived threats from other pupils. The court heard the attack followed tensions between the two boys stemming from a disagreement a week earlier, even though Harvey was not in school at the time of the original altercation.

Following the verdict, Detective Inspector Joe Hackworthy, deputy Senior Investigating Officer, said:

“This trial has been a heartbreaking reminder of the devastation knife crime causes in our communities. Tonight, one boy’s family will be grieving the unimaginable loss of their beloved son, while another boy’s family faces the reality of a life sentence.

The boy who murdered Harvey thought carrying a knife would protect him or make others fear him. Instead, his decision took an innocent life and tore two families apart.”

Detective Inspector Hackworthy urged parents and carers to talk openly with young people about the dangers of carrying weapons, adding that Harvey’s death should serve as a stark reminder of the irreversible consequences of knife crime.

The 15-year-old will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court in the coming weeks.