Latest news with #SeanPender
The Sun
08-08-2025
- The Sun
Weapon-obsessed teen GUILTY of murdering boy, 15, at school with hunting knife before making chilling excuse to teacher
A WEAPON-obsessed teen has been found guilty of murdering a 15-year-old boy with a hunting knife in horror attack at school. Harvey Willgoose was ambushed in a courtyard while on his lunchbreak at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield. 4 4 He was stabbed twice - including once in the heart - by a 15-year-old boy in front of horrified pupils in an "act of retribution". Following the attack, he told headteacher Sean Pender: "I'm not right in the head. My mum doesn't look after me right." The teen, who legally cannot be named, also said "you know I can't control it" when the school's assistant head, Morgan Davis, took the knife off him. He has now been found guilty of murder after previously admitting manslaughter. Harvey's family including his mum Caroline wept as the verdict was delivered today after 14 hours of deliberation. Sheffield Crown Court heard Harvey and the defendant had fallen out five days before the horror on February 3. A teacher had to restrain the killer when he got involved in an altercation between two other boys. The school was plunged into lockdown after he claimed one of the other students had a knife but no weapon was found. Harvey stayed off school for the rest of the week, texting his dad: "Am not going in that school while people have knives." Then over the weekend, the pair fell out on social media as each boy sided with a different pupil involved in the altercation. The defendant came to school on the day of the fatal stabbing and told a teacher he had nothing on him he shouldn't when asked. But just after the start of the lunchbreak, he pulled out the hunting knife and stabbed Harvey twice. Police later discovered pictures and video on the killer's phone that showed him posing with knives. He had also conducted a number of chilling searches for weapons leading up to the killing. Prosecutor Richard Thyne KC said the boy "wanted to show he was hard" and had become "obsessed" with weapons. He had previously talked about "shanking" someone when he was 13 years old and searched "waiting for someone to swing so I can let out my anger". 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.' But 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.' The boy will be sentenced at a later date. 4
The Irish Sun
10-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Teacher confronted schoolboy as he ‘waved hunting knife without realising he had just stabbed and killed classmate, 15'
A TEENAGER was confronted by a teacher moments after stabbing his classmate to death, a jury was told. The 15-year-old defendant was still waving the hunting knife he had used to stab Advertisement 2 A teacher confronted the defendant while he waved a knife Credit: PA 2 Harvey Willgoose, 15, was allegedly stabbed to death by a fellow student on February 3 Credit: PA He has A pre-recorded interview with a teacher at All Saints Catholic School - where the attack took place - was played for Sheffield Crown Court today. She said: "When I turned around there was a boy (the defendant) wearing his school uniform and a thin sort-of waterproof jacket. And in his right hand, he had a knife which was more black than silver. Advertisement Read more News "He had a stance that was sort-of quite open with his arms, and the knife was very visible. "He was She and her colleague Rachel Hobkirk encouraged the boy to put the knife down several times. However, he continued to wave it in the air. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Ms Siddall also said that there were no other students in between the teachers and the At the time, Ms Siddall said she wasn't aware of "anything he'd done with the knife". Shocking moment woman screams at neighbour before torching Land Rover because she thought his badgers killed local cat She believed that there "was a possibility that he might actually put it down" although reported that he did seem "sort-of-jumpy". If anything, she and her colleague believed it was "a bit of bravado" as he made no attempt to conceal the weapon. Advertisement She added: "Whilst we thought he might put it down, it was very much in The headteacher, Sean Pender, and assistant headteacher, Morgan Davis, then arrived at the scene. Mr Davis would eventually get the knife from the defendant, while the headteacher took him to his office. As Ms Siddall moved the rest of the schoolchildren to Advertisement She said: "I opened the doors and could see that there was a lot of blood on the courtyard." Ms Siddall then radioed to the office to call and ambulance, In addition to Ms Siddall's testimony, the jury has also been shown Another video interview with Sean Pender was also played in court. Advertisement The headteacher said: "I remember thinking 'he's got a knife, he's got a knife, I can see it clearly', and not what I would call a little pen knife." He said the defendant told him he had brought the knife for his own protection, out of fear he would be "jumped" on the way home. Mr Pender added: "He never once said 'how's Harvey', or 'I'm sorry ' or anything like that." His defence lawyer, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, told the jury: "The defendant did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone. Advertisement "The defence say his 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.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Schoolboy who stabbed Harvey Willgoose to death told headteacher 'I'm not right in the head', court hears
A schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death in the courtyard told his headteacher 'I'm not right in the head'. A 15-year-old boy appeared in court accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose, also 15, on February 3. In a video interview played to the jury, Sean Pender, headteacher of All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield described how he put his arm around the defendant and led him to his office after Mr Davis had secured the 'dagger-style' knife, following the stabbing. Mr Pender said: 'I remember thinking "he's got a knife, he's got a knife, I can see it clearly", and not what I would call a little pen knife.' He told the officers: 'The first words the defendant said to me were "I'm not right in the head" and immediately afterwards "my mum doesn't look after me right".' And he said: 'At some point before we reached my office he said "I've stabbed him". 'And I said "who" and he said "Harvey".' Mr Pender said the defendant told him about the knife: 'I've just brought it for my protection 'cos I'm scared I'm gonna get jumped on the way home.' The headteacher told the officers: 'He never once said "how's Harvey", or "I'm sorry" or anything like that. 'But... I just thought the realisation I think had kicked in, or the shock of what he'd actually done without fully acknowledging it, if that makes sense.' In another video interview played to the jury, teacher Carolyn Siddall told officers how she became aware of a 'student disturbance' as the lunch break began. She said: 'When I turned around there was a boy (the defendant) wearing his school uniform and a thin sort-of waterproof jacket. And, in his right hand, he had a knife which was more black than silver.' She said: 'He had a stance that was sort-of quite open with his arms, and the knife was very visible.' Ms Siddall said her colleague Rachel Hobkirk appeared and there were no other students between the two teachers and the teenager. She said: 'He was waving the knife. But appeared to be saying "I'm not gonna hurt anyone". 'So I said to him "just put the knife down". And he waved it more. 'Rachel said "just put the knife down". And I believe we said that to him several times.' Asked about her confrontation with the teenager, Ms Siddall said: 'I was not aware of anything he'd done with the knife and he seemed be saying 'I'm not going to hurt anyone'.' She said: 'He did sort-of look as though he was listening to us. And that I felt there was a possibility that he might actually put it down.' The teacher said that 'his body language was a bit sort-of jumpy' and he was 'a bit sort-of dancing'. She said it was 'clear to see that it was a knife' as he made no attempt to conceal it. Ms Siddall said the defendant's words gave her and her colleague 'the idea that it was a bit of bravado'. She said: 'We didn't know, because we had no idea what had happened previously.' And she added: 'He didn't appear at that point to be going to stab either of us. The school was placed into lockdown following Harvey's stabbing on February 3 'Whilst we thought he might put it down, it was very much in a weapon pose at that time.' Ms Siddall said she then noticed the headteacher, Sean Pender, and assistant headteacher, Morgan Davis. The jury has heard how Mr Davis got the knife from the defendant and Mr Pender took him to his office. Ms Siddall said she began to move children to a safe place, turned round and saw a student on the floor. She said: 'I opened the doors and could see that there was a lot of blood on the courtyard.' The teacher said she radioed for the office to call an ambulance and also asked for a lockdown to be put in place, saying the students 'moved very quickly, very efficiently into the nearest rooms'. The jury has been shown CCTV footage of Harvey being stabbed in the courtyard. The court 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 last week, 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.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- The Sun
Boy told headmaster ‘I'm not right in the head' after ‘stabbing classmate, 15, to death with hunting knife at school'
A SCHOOLBOY told his teacher "I'm not right in the head" after he stabbed his classmate to death, a jury has been told. He fatally stabbed his fellow pupil, 15, in the heart with a hunting knife at school as his classmates fled in terror. 5 5 5 Sheffield Crown Court was shown "shocking" footage of the stabbing at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3. The incident left 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose dead and other pupils fleeing "in fear and panic". The defendant "had an unhealthy and apparently longstanding interest in weapons", prosecutors told the court on Tuesday. They explained how he had photos on his phone of him posing with different weapons including hunting knives and a machete. Prosecutors also added how a police officer had given the boy advice about the dangers of carrying weapons months before after his mother found an axe in his bag. Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, told the jury that after the fatal stabbing, the defendant told his headteacher, Sean Pender: "I'm not right in the head. "My mum doesn't look after me right, I've stabbed him." The prosecutor said the boy confirmed to Pender that he was referring to Harvey and that he had stabbed him once or twice. Thyne said: "Whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive, he also told Mr Pender that he was carrying the knife for protection." He told the jury that the altercation took place in the school courtyard as lunch break was starting before playing CCTV footage to the jurors, telling them: "It is shocking, but it is necessary to play it." The CCTV shows Harvey appearing to put his left hand on the defendant's right arm before the defendant "takes a knife out of his left pocket, passes it across into his right hand, and then stabs twice at Harvey's torso". Thyne then said that the defendant then advances towards Harvey, who backs away across the courtyard, before "the defendant returns towards where the incident began, gesturing towards Harvey with his knife, and appearing to shout at Harvey". The video shows Harvey running towards the defendant, who then advances for a second time "bouncing on his toes, still brandishing the knife", the prosecutor said, adding that then "Harvey backs away". Thyne added that "other pupils fled in fear and panic" as the defendant went into the dining hall still holding the knife. He told the jury that assistant headteacher, Morgan Davis, arrived and "found the defendant still waving the knife around". As Mr Davis told him to hand over the knife, the defendant was saying to him: "You know I can't control it," which Thyne said the teacher took to be a reference to his anger issues, given previous incidents of violent behaviour at school. The prosecutor said: "Mr Davis held his hand out and took the knife from the defendant. "At the same time the headteacher, Mr Pender, placed his arm around his shoulder and took him along the corridor to his office." Earlier on Tuesday, Thyne told the jury Harvey was stabbed in the heart with a hunting knife which had a 13cm, serrated-edged blade. He said: "He also admits that the stabbing was not carried out in lawful self-defence." The jury has heard the defendant has admitted Harvey's manslaughter, but denies murdering him. The boy, who cannot be named, has also admitted possession of a knife on school premises. 5 5 Thyne told the jury about an incident five days before the stabbing, when two members of staff physically intervened in a dispute between two other students. The prosecutor said the defendant tried to get involved and "had to be physically restrained and removed by staff". He told the jury that the school went into lockdown after the defendant said he had seen one of the two boys with a knife, but the police who attended did not find a weapon. The prosecutor said the defendant did not go to school the following two days and a relative contacted the school to say he was "scared of going to school because of the lockdown". He said that Harvey, who was not at school when this incident happened, sent a text message to his dad saying "am not going in that school while people have knives". Thyne said this incident led to Harvey and the defendant falling out in a Snapchat group, with each siding with one of the boys involved in the initial dispute, who had been suspended. He said that in one message on February 1, Harvey sent the defendant his address, telling him that if he had a problem "you got my Addy I'll deal with it simple". Thyne said that the defendant gave police a written statement about what happened in the courtyard on February 3. He said Harvey came up to him and said: "Do you want beef, I'll have you this time." The defendant said in his statement that Harvey refused to shake his hand and "at that point I felt like he was going to attack me". He said: "Obviously, all these threats had been made to me previously and at that moment I thought he was going to use a weapon or knife against me. "Without thinking and instinctively I pulled out the knife I had in my pocket and thrust it towards Harvey. "I did this in self-defence. "It was not my intention to cause him serious harm. "At that moment I felt it was me or him, I had to protect myself." Thyne said the defendant had "had a significant history of becoming angry and using violence at school". The prosecutor said records from his previous school "show a pattern of behaviour ranging from defiance, through to the use of physical violence towards other pupils and property". Thyne said the defendant's phone had photos on it of him posing with weapons and his internet search history included terms like zombie killer knife, dagger, pocket knife, and machete. He told the jurors how, in December 2024, the defendant's mother contacted the school about finding what she described as a sword in his bag, which turned out to be an axe. A police officer visited the defendant's home and gave him advice about the dangers of carrying weapons, the prosecutor said. Addressing the jury, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, defending, said: "He accepts what he did that day. "He accepts responsibility for the tragic and lasting consequences of his actions. "That is why he's pleaded guilty to manslaughter. "The defendant did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone. "The defence say his 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."
Sky News
01-07-2025
- Sky News
Boy, 15, told teacher 'I'm not right in the head' after fatally stabbing pupil, jury told
A 15-year-old boy told his headteacher "I'm not right in the head" after fatally stabbing a fellow pupil in the heart, a jury has been told. Sheffield Crown Court has been shown footage of the "shocking" incident at All Saints Catholic High School in the South Yorkshire city on 3 February, which left 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose dead. The defendant, who cannot be named, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. He has also admitted possession of a knife on school premises. Prosecutor Richard Thyne told the court that after the fatal incident, the defendant told headteacher Sean Pender: "I'm not right in the head. My mum doesn't look after me right. I've stabbed him." Mr Thyne said the boy confirmed to Mr Pender that he was referring to Harvey and said he had stabbed him once or twice. "Whilst waiting for the emergency services to arrive, [the defendant] also told Mr Pender that he was carrying the knife for protection," he said. Jury shown CCTV of stabbing The altercation happened in a school courtyard just as the lunch break was starting, the prosecutor added. The jury was shown footage of the incident, after being warned: "It is shocking, but it is necessary to play it." The prosecution case is that the CCTV shows Harvey appearing to put his left hand on the defendant, who then "takes a knife out of his left pocket, passes it across into his right hand, and then stabs twice at Harvey's torso". Mr Thyne said the defendant then advances towards Harvey, who backs away, before "[the defendant] returns towards where the incident began, gesturing towards Harvey with his knife, and appearing to shout at Harvey". The video shows Harvey running towards the defendant, who advances for a second time "bouncing on his toes, still brandishing the knife". The defendant then went into the school's dining hall still holding the knife as "other pupils fled in fear and panic", Mr Thyne said. The teenager did not put the weapon down when staff initially asked him to do so, the jury heard. Assistant head Morgan Davis then approached the defendant, and "held his hand out and took the knife from [him]". "At the same time the headteacher, Mr Pender, placed his arm around [the defendant]'s shoulder and took him along the corridor to his office" the prosecutor said. Boy 'had unhealthy interest in weapons', jury hears Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Thyne told the jury Harvey was stabbed with a hunting knife which had a 13cm, serrated-edged blade. Prosecutors also said the defendant "had an unhealthy and apparently longstanding interest in weapons", saying he had photographs of him posing with a variety of weapons, including a machete, on his phone. A police officer had given him advice about the dangers of carrying weapons months before the incident, after his mother found an axe in his bag. Addressing the jury, the defence's barrister Gul Nawaz Hussain said: "[The defendant] accepts what he did that day. He accepts responsibility for the tragic and lasting consequences of his actions. "That is why he's pleaded guilty to manslaughter. "[He] did not set out to kill or seriously hurt anyone." 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," Mr Hussain said.
