Latest news with #CarolineWillgoose
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Willgoose's mother says murderer should be publicly named
The mother of murdered 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose says she feels sorry for the teenager who stabbed her son to death at their school, as she believes he was 'let down'. But Caroline Willgoose said she also believes the 15-year-old – who was found guilty last week of murdering Harvey with a hunting knife at Sheffield's All Saints Catholic High School in – needs to be 'made an example of' when he is sentenced. Ms Willgoose appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Monday and was asked by Richard Madeley: 'What are your thoughts about the boy who did this?' She said: 'I feel sorry for him. Because I think he's been let down. I think Harvey's been let down. 'This shouldn't have happened. There were so many red flags. 'They must have known what he was like when his mum said that he'd took an axe in to school.' Mr Madeley asked Ms Willgoose what she believes the sentence should be when the defendant reappears at Sheffield Crown Court on 22 October. She said: 'I think he's got to be made an example of.' She also said she believes the judge should lift the order that guarantees the perpetrator's anonymity due to his age. Harvey's sister Sophie said of the killer: 'He's a 15-year-old boy. We'd like to think that he didn't want to murder Harvey. 'He's just from a troubled background and services have let him down.' She described the trauma of the six-week long trial and how watching the CCTV of her brother being stabbed will 'haunt me forever'. The women said they are campaigning for knife arches to be installed in all secondary schools and colleges. Caroline Willgoose said: 'I know it goes a lot deeper than that. But, let's start somewhere, and then go into schools and educate children of the devastation, the pure devastation, of what this has caused.' Ms Willgoose believes her son's death could have been prevented, especially after the killer's mother reported him having an axe. The jury in the trial also heard how the school's assistant head asked the defendant if he had anything on him which he should not hours before the murder, and the boy said he did not. Ms Willgoose said last week: 'If you have a reason to ask that child, you've got a reason to search that child.' Asked about knife crime and the Willgooses' campaign on the same ITV programme, justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: 'It is something that terrifies me. 'I don't think anyone could have heard the testimony of Caroline and Sophie and not be moved.' Ms Davies-Jones said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is looking at the family's proposals on knife arches. She said she was 'really keen' to examine the family's experience of the criminal justice system. Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said on Friday: 'We think especially of Harvey's family, loved ones and friends today. We cannot begin to imagine the immeasurable impact the loss of Harvey has had on them. 'Harvey was a much-loved, positive and outgoing pupil whose memory will be cherished by all who knew him. As a community we have been devastated by his death and we continue to think of him every day. 'Harvey's death was an unimaginable tragedy for all, and one that understandably gives rise to a number of questions from his family and others. 'Now that the trial has finished, a number of investigations aimed at addressing and answering these questions will be able to proceed. We will engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered and no key questions are left unresolved.'
The Independent
7 days ago
- The Independent
Teen stabbing victim's mother says murderer needs to be ‘made an example of'
The mother of murdered 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose says she feels sorry for the teenager who stabbed her son to death at their school, as she believes he was 'let down'. But Caroline Willgoose said she also believes the 15-year-old – who was found guilty last week of murdering Harvey with a hunting knife at Sheffield's All Saints Catholic High School in – needs to be 'made an example of' when he is sentenced. Ms Willgoose appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Monday and was asked by Richard Madeley: 'What are your thoughts about the boy who did this?' She said: 'I feel sorry for him. Because I think he's been let down. I think Harvey's been let down. 'This shouldn't have happened. There were so many red flags. 'They must have known what he was like when his mum said that he'd took an axe in to school.' Mr Madeley asked Ms Willgoose what she believes the sentence should be when the defendant reappears at Sheffield Crown Court on 22 October. She said: 'I think he's got to be made an example of.' She also said she believes the judge should lift the order that guarantees the perpetrator's anonymity due to his age. Harvey's sister Sophie said of the killer: 'He's a 15-year-old boy. We'd like to think that he didn't want to murder Harvey. 'He's just from a troubled background and services have let him down.' She described the trauma of the six-week long trial and how watching the CCTV of her brother being stabbed will 'haunt me forever'. The women said they are campaigning for knife arches to be installed in all secondary schools and colleges. Caroline Willgoose said: 'I know it goes a lot deeper than that. But, let's start somewhere, and then go into schools and educate children of the devastation, the pure devastation, of what this has caused.' Ms Willgoose believes her son's death could have been prevented, especially after the killer's mother reported him having an axe. The jury in the trial also heard how the school's assistant head asked the defendant if he had anything on him which he should not hours before the murder, and the boy said he did not. Ms Willgoose said last week: 'If you have a reason to ask that child, you've got a reason to search that child.' Asked about knife crime and the Willgooses' campaign on the same ITV programme, justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: 'It is something that terrifies me. 'I don't think anyone could have heard the testimony of Caroline and Sophie and not be moved.' Ms Davies-Jones said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is looking at the family's proposals on knife arches. She said she was 'really keen' to examine the family's experience of the criminal justice system. Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said on Friday: 'We think especially of Harvey's family, loved ones and friends today. We cannot begin to imagine the immeasurable impact the loss of Harvey has had on them. 'Harvey was a much-loved, positive and outgoing pupil whose memory will be cherished by all who knew him. As a community we have been devastated by his death and we continue to think of him every day. 'Harvey's death was an unimaginable tragedy for all, and one that understandably gives rise to a number of questions from his family and others. 'Now that the trial has finished, a number of investigations aimed at addressing and answering these questions will be able to proceed. We will engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered and no key questions are left unresolved.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Daily Mail
Judge should allow teenage killer to be named just like my son Harvey Willgoose has been, says devastated mother of school stabbing victim
The mother of a teenage boy stabbed to death with a hunting knife at his school has called for the fellow pupil convicted of her son's murder to be named. Caroline Willgoose, whose son Harvey died at All Saints ' Catholic High School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on February 3, has spoken out following the trial of the 15-year-old boy who killed him. Jurors at Sheffield Crown Court rejected claims by the killer he snapped following a long history of bullying. Mrs Willgoose said the defence case 'tarnished' her son's name – which was in the public domain, while the accused could not be named due to his age. An application has been made by the Press to name the murderer which will be considered by the judge, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, when he is sentenced in October. Mrs Willgoose said her son's name had been 'tarnished' throughout the trial. She added: 'He hasn't been able to speak up for himself and he's been named. The defendant should be as well.' Prosecution evidence revealed the killer and victim Harvey had argued over Snapchat in the days leading up to the murder, when Harvey stuck up for one his friends. The school had been placed into lockdown on January 29, which was brought about by the defendant telling teachers that the other boy had threatened to stab him and his friend. Police attended, but did not find any weapon on him. Over that weekend, Harvey expressed support for the other boy in a group Snapchat conversation, leading him and the defendant to row 'non-stop' for several hours. It culminated with the defendant warning Harvey in a private message on the morning of the attack: 'If u wan beef we can hav it (sic).' The school is now facing questions over its failure to act on a series of warning signs about the boy's murderous potential, which Harvey's family believe could have prevented the killing. The boy was not searched when he arrived that day despite being at the centre of a knife scare a week earlier and the school knowing he had a history of possessing dangerous weapons. Just one hour before his death, Harvey told a teacher the defendant was acting like he had a knife hidden in his jacket. But she failed to raise the alarm and tragically, the schoolboy was dead within the hour. He was stabbed through the heart after a confrontation during the lunchbreak. Harvey's killer had pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of loss of control, but denied murder, arguing his actions were the 'end result of a long period of bullying, poor treatment and violence'. In an interview with the BBC, Mrs Willgoose also called for knife arches to be installed in schools. She said: 'Get knife arches in, then get educating children about the pure devastation that knife crime brings. 'Children know there are knives in schools. Something needs to be done. 'If you don't think there's a problem, ask your child if they have ever known of anybody bringing a knife into school. I think parents would be very interested in their answer.' Mrs Willgoose also revealed that her son avoided school in part due to anxiety caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but also because of a fear about knives in schools. In the same interview, Harvey's father Mark Willgoose said a youth club set up in their son's name, Harvey's Hub, would teach young people about the dangers of knife crime. He said the family has also managed to meet with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
BBC News
7 days ago
- BBC News
Harvey Willgoose's parents call for his killer to be named
The parents of a schoolboy who was murdered by a fellow pupil on his lunchbreak have called for an order protecting the identity of his 15-year-old killer to be Willgoose, who was also 15, died when he was stabbed in the heart with a hunting knife at All Saints Catholic High School on Monday 3 killer cannot be named because of his age. However, the BBC and other media have applied to have the anonymity order protecting his identity mum Caroline said her son's name had been "tarnished" throughout the trial, adding: "He hasn't been able to speak up for himself and he's been named. The defendant should be as well." The trial judge, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen, is expected to make a decision on whether to lift the order when the 15-year-old is sentenced in parents, who have set up a youth club in his memory, reiterated their earlier call to install knife arches in schools."Get knife arches in, then get educating children about the pure devastation that knife crime brings," said Mrs Willgoose, who has campaigned against knife crime since her son's death. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
Harvey Willgoose mother says son's murderer needs to be ‘made an example of'
The mother of Harvey Willgoose has said she feels sorry for the teenager who stabbed her son to death at their school, saying she believes he was 'let down', like her son. But Caroline Willgoose said she also believes the 15-year-old – who was found guilty last week of murdering Harvey, also 15, with a hunting knife at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield – needs to be 'made an example of' when he is sentenced in October. Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Monday, Mrs Willgoose was asked by Richard Madeley: 'What are your thoughts about the boy who did this?' She said: 'I feel sorry for him. Because I think he's been let down. I think Harvey's been let down. 'This shouldn't have happened. There were so many red flags. 'They must have known what he was like when his mum said that he'd took an axe in to school.' Madeley asked Mrs Willgoose what she believed the sentence should be when the defendant returns to Sheffield Crown Court on October 22. She said: 'I think he's got to be made an example of.' And she said she believe the judge should lift the order which guarantees the perpetrator's anonymity, due to his age. Harvey's sister Sophie said of the killer: 'He's a 15-year-old boy. We'd like to think that he didn't want to murder Harvey. 'He's just from a troubled background and services have let him down.' She described the trauma of the six-week long trial and how watching the CCTV of her brother being stabbed will 'haunt me forever'. The women said they are campaigning for knife arches to be installed in all secondary schools and colleges. Caroline Willgoose said: 'I know it goes a lot deeper than that. But, let's start somewhere, and then go into schools and educate children of the devastation, the pure devastation, of what this has caused.' Mrs Willgoose believes her son's death could have been prevented, especially after the killer's mother reported him having an axe. The jury in the trial also heard how the school's assistant head asked the defendant if he had anything on him which he should not hours before the murder, and the boy said he did not. Mrs Willgoose said last week: 'If you have a reason to ask that child, you've got a reason to search that child.' Asked about knife crime and the Willgooses' campaign on the same ITV programme, justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: 'It is something that terrifies me. 'I don't think anyone could have heard the testimony of Caroline and Sophie and not be moved.' Ms Davies-Jones said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is looking at the family's proposals on knife arches. She said she was 'really keen' to examine the family's experience of the criminal justice system. Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said on Friday: 'We think especially of Harvey's family, loved ones and friends today. We cannot begin to imagine the immeasurable impact the loss of Harvey has had on them. 'Harvey was a much-loved, positive and outgoing pupil whose memory will be cherished by all who knew him. As a community we have been devastated by his death and we continue to think of him every day. 'Harvey's death was an unimaginable tragedy for all, and one that understandably gives rise to a number of questions from his family and others. 'Now that the trial has finished, a number of investigations aimed at addressing and answering these questions will be able to proceed. We will engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered and no key questions are left unresolved.'
