Latest news with #SheffieldYouthCourt
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Boys admit violent disorder during summer riot
Two 16-year-old boys have pleaded guilty to violent disorder in connection with major unrest outside a Rotherham hotel housing asylum seekers. Sheffield Youth Court heard one of the boys was filmed helping other rioters place a bin on a fire outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on 4 August, while the other added wood to an existing flame. The latter also admitted arson with intent to endanger life but said he only added the wood because he was "told to do so" by adults present. The teenagers, who cannot be named due to their ages, had no previous convictions and will be sentenced at the same court on 25 June. Both youths, who were aged 15 at the time of the offending, were granted unconditional bail ahead of their next hearing. Magistrates warned the boy, who is facing two charges, that the arson offence was "particularly serious" and could be sent to the crown court. In his basis of plea, the boy said he was "actively encouraged" by adults to engage in the riot and that he was "deeply sorry" for his actions. The teen accepted putting wood onto an existing flame but said: "I was not thinking about the consequences and had no intent to endanger life." More than 90 people have so far been sentenced for their involvement in the disorder which saw anti-immigration protesters clash with police. Footage of the unrest showed rioters smashing windows and doors, setting fires around the hotel while chanting "burn it down" and attacking officers with weapons such as fence posts and metal poles. More than 60 police officers were injured, and the hotel and surrounding area sustained immense damage. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Boy, 17, sentenced over hotel riot violence 'Worst' hotel youth rioter sentenced in court HM Courts & Tribunals Service
South Wales Guardian
28-04-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Teenager admits stabbing 15-year-old to death at Sheffield school
Harvey Willgoose, also 15, died after he was stabbed through the heart at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3. A teenager, who cannot be named, admitted Sheffield United fan Harvey's manslaughter when he appeared at the city's crown court on Monday. But he denied murdering the teenager and will go on trial in the summer. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC remanded the defendant, who stood in the glass-fronted dock with an intermediary and three members of security staff, into secure local authority care and told him that he will go on trial on June 30. The boy, who was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, also admitted possession of a bladed article during the 30-minute hearing. Judge Richardson told him: 'You have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the other offence relating to a knife. 'A jury will decide whether you are guilty or not guilty of the more serious allegation of murder. 'That trial will start on June 30 at this court.' Harvey's parents, Caroline and Mark Willgoose, watched the proceedings from the public gallery of Court 2, along with other members of their family. The couple have been prominent campaigners against knife crime since their son's death – including pushing for knife arches in schools – and they met Home Secretary Yvette Cooper about the issue in March. The incident at the school in February shocked Sheffield and the nation. The week before the incident, the school had gone into lockdown after there were 'threats of violence' between pupils, parents were told on January 29. Sheffield Youth Court heard earlier this year that the lockdown incident at the school which occurred the week prior 'did not directly involve' the defendant or Harvey. Harvey was remembered as a 'social butterfly' who 'deserved so much more' and 'had dreams, plans and a future ahead of him' at his funeral in February. The service was broadcast on a big screen outside the building for those who could not fit inside, and some mourners wore T-shirts with pictures of Harvey's face and anti-knife crime slogans. His cousin Lana Swirles told the congregation: 'His laughter was contagious and his kindness knew no bounds. 'His adventurous spirit inspired us to enjoy life and seek out joy in the little things.' The service heard how he loved fishing with his granddad, was 'never far from a scrape' and his mother Caroline recalled that as a little boy his catchphrase was: 'Isn't it a lovely day?' She told mourners: 'One of Harvey's great gifts was his love of people, his kindness to others and his ability to talk to anyone.' Sheffield United was 'the great love of Harvey's life', the service was told, and his coffin was wrapped with a Bramall Lane design.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Boy, 15, admits stabbing teenager Harvey Willgoose to death at school
A 15-year-old boy today pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of teenager Harvey Willgoose who was stabbed to death at his Catholic high school in Sheffield, but denied his murder. Harvey, 15, was knifed twice in the chest in front of fellow pupils at All Saints Catholic High School on February 3, dying in the ambulance on the way to hospital. The teenage suspect - who can't be named due to his age - was later charged with murder, possession of a bladed article and one count of affray. Wearing a white shirt, black trousers and Yves Saint Laurent belt, he today quietly voiced his pleas to the charges with the help of an intermediary at Sheffield Crown Court. He also admitted possession of a knife. A trial was fixed for June 30. The boy was remanded into youth detention accommodation. Sheffield Youth Court previously heard how the knife 'went through his rib and punctured his heart'. In a heartbreaking statement following his death, Harvey's mother Caroline said their lives 'will never be the same again'. 'We are utterly heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful boy, Harvey Goose,' she added. 'Our lives are devastated and will never be the same again. 'We have lost a beloved son, brother, grandson, cousin, nephew and most importantly, a best friend to all. 'Harvey will be forever known for being a caring, loving and funny young man.' At the time, Sir Keir Starmer said the 'whole country' would 'mourn with' the teen's family after the devastating loss. The Prime Minister said in a statement: 'The terrible stabbing in Sheffield is one where I think the whole country would want to reach out to the family, the friends, to the school, the entire community, in their grief and mourn with them. 'Obviously there will be an investigation, but I think at this point I simply speak for the country, to the individuals affected, to the family in particular, but everybody impacted by this awful situation - a young boy has gone to school and hasn't returned home. 'And so my first thoughts as Prime Minister and as a father are with the family.' When the teen appeared before youth court, District Judge Tim Spruce said: 'It is early days in this investigation but this allegation involves a knife, a hunting knife, being taken into school and used to stab another pupil in broad daylight resulting in the death of that pupil.' Today the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson, KC, told the boy: 'You have today pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the other charge relating to a knife. 'A jury will decide whether you are guilty or not guilty of the more serious charge of murder. 'That trial will start on June 30 at this court. 'In the meanwhile, you will be required to see at least one, possibly two, maybe even three, doctors. 'You must cooperate fully with those doctors. 'In the meanwhile I remand you into the care of the local authority, which is a secure remand.' Hundreds of people lined the streets to pay their respects to Harvey as he was taken to Sheffield Cathedral in in a red and white coffin - the colours of his beloved Sheffield United FC. The cathedral's choir sang the club's favourite chant 'Greasy Chip Butty', during the service on February 21. His distraught family - including mum Caroline, dad Mark, both 51, sister Sophie, 27, and brother Lewis, 25, were seen at the service hugging each other. Around 750 mourners, wearing a mixture of formal wear, Sheffield United football tops and t-shirts with pictures of Harvey's face, went into the service.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
'Worst' hotel youth rioter sentenced in court
A teenager "viciously and unrelentingly" attacked police officers protecting a hotel housing asylum seekers, a court has heard. The boy, 17, was "at the heart" of major disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August, Sheffield Youth Court was told on Wednesday. Prosecutor Owen Burns said the boy attacked police "with any weapon or object he could find" and was filmed throwing missiles and fireworks, using racist slurs and chanting "burn it down" in reference to the hotel. The youth, who cannot be named due to his age, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder and has now been handed a 12-month intensive referral order. The boy, who had no previous convictions, was also ordered to pay £400 in compensation to South Yorkshire Police. About 400 people descended on the hotel in Rotherham, which was housing approximately 200 asylum seekers at the time. The situation became increasingly violent as the day progressed, with bricks, fence posts and other missiles hurled at officers and multiple fires set around the building. Extensive footage collected by police showed the youngster during various pockets of the violence, arming himself with fireworks, throwing them towards officers and smashing the window of a police van. He was also captured attempting to tip over a police van, forcefully kicking against riot shields, throwing a brick against a hotel window, kicking over a wooden fence and using what was left of it "as ammunition". Mr Burns told district judge Tim Spruce: "It is the Crown's case that he is on the very front lines of the attack. "His assaults on the officers are sustained, unrelenting and vicious and carried out with any weapon and object he can find at the time. "My submission is that his sole aim or purpose is to cause injury." In mitigation, it was heard the boy was 16 at the time of the offence and had no racist views. Since the riot last year, he had been focusing on his education and had become a father. The court was told the teenager was "deeply sorry" for his actions and promised that "something like this will never happen again". Judge Spruce told the youngster during the hearing that he had "only just been persuaded" to not impose an immediate custodial term. "Since August I've dealt with many young people in your position," he said. "I have to say, of all the young people, this is by far the worst violence I have seen." The judge added: "This was overtly racist behaviour on your part. You might not be a racist but that's what it was." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Children joined riots for the 'thrill', report says Boy, 17, sentenced over hotel riot violence HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
16-04-2025
- BBC News
'Worst' Manvers hotel youth rioter sentenced for summer violence
A teenager "viciously and unrelentingly" attacked police officers protecting a hotel housing asylum seekers, a court has boy, 17, was "at the heart" of major disorder outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, Rotherham, on 4 August, Sheffield Youth Court was told on Owen Burns said the boy attacked police "with any weapon or object he could find" and was filmed throwing missiles and fireworks, using racist slurs and chanting "burn it down" in reference to the youth, who cannot be named due to his age, had previously pleaded guilty to violent disorder and has now been handed a 12-month intensive referral order. The boy, who had no previous convictions, was also ordered to pay £400 in compensation to South Yorkshire 400 people descended on the hotel in Rotherham, which was housing approximately 200 asylum seekers at the situation became increasingly violent as the day progressed, with bricks, fence posts and other missiles hurled at officers and multiple fires set around the building. Extensive footage collected by police showed the youngster during various pockets of the violence, arming himself with fireworks, throwing them towards officers and smashing the window of a police was also captured attempting to tip over a police van, forcefully kicking against riot shields, throwing a brick against a hotel window, kicking over a wooden fence and using what was left of it "as ammunition".Mr Burns told district judge Tim Spruce: "It is the Crown's case that he is on the very front lines of the attack."His assaults on the officers are sustained, unrelenting and vicious and carried out with any weapon and object he can find at the time."My submission is that his sole aim or purpose is to cause injury." 'Deeply sorry' In mitigation, it was heard the boy was 16 at the time of the offence and had no racist the riot last year, he had been focusing on his education and had become a court was told the teenager was "deeply sorry" for his actions and promised that "something like this will never happen again".Judge Spruce told the youngster during the hearing that he had "only just been persuaded" to not impose an immediate custodial term."Since August I've dealt with many young people in your position," he said."I have to say, of all the young people, this is by far the worst violence I have seen."The judge added: "This was overtly racist behaviour on your part. You might not be a racist but that's what it was."Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
