A 15-year-old boy has admitted to manslaughter but denied murder in the stabbing death of fellow teenager Harvey Willgoose at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on February 3, 2025.

During the hearing, the court was informed that the defendant also admitted to possession of a bladed article.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC remanded the defendant into secure local authority care and scheduled the trial for June 30, 2025.

The incident has deeply shocked the Sheffield community and garnered national attention, particularly following a school lockdown due to threats of violence just a week prior.

The school had gone into lockdown on January 29, 2025, due to threats of violence among students, although neither Harvey nor the defendant were involved in that incident.

The Willgoose family expressed their devastation in a statement, highlighting the impact of their son's loss on their lives and honoring his memory as a caring and funny young man.

In response to their son's death, Harvey's parents, Caroline and Mark Willgoose, have become active campaigners against knife crime, advocating for initiatives like knife arches in schools.

Reports indicate that up to 20 child witnesses are being interviewed by police regarding the incident, which was captured on CCTV.

Prosecutor Rob Coyne described the weapon used in the stabbing as a 'Rambo or hunting-style knife' that caused severe injuries to Harvey.

Harvey was remembered fondly at his funeral in February, with attendees celebrating his kind nature and adventurous spirit, and some wore T-shirts featuring his image alongside anti-knife crime messages.

Recent statistics revealed that 150 stabbings or knife-related injuries occurred at schools in England and Wales last year, equating to approximately four incidents per school week.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC emphasized the importance of a fair trial and warned the defendant that his absence from court could lead to the trial proceeding without him.