Sheffield Crown Court on 22 October 2025 sentenced 15-year-old Mohammed Umar Khan to detention for life with a minimum term of 16 years for the murder of fellow pupil Harvey Willgoose. Mrs Justice Naomi Ellenbogen lifted reporting restrictions and permitted Khan to be named, citing substantial public interest. The killing occurred during the lunch break at All Saints Catholic High School, Sheffield, on 3 February 2025.
Under section 259 of the Sentencing Act 2020, anyone convicted of murder who was under 18 at the time must receive detention during His Majesty’s pleasure. It functions as a life sentence: the judge sets the minimum term; after that point the Parole Board assesses risk before any release, and a life licence then applies indefinitely with the possibility of recall.
Schedule 21 of the Sentencing Act 2020 provides starting points for minimum terms. For a 15- or 16‑year‑old who brings a knife to the scene and uses it, the starting point is 17 years, subject to adjustment for aggravating and mitigating factors. Starting points are guidance, not hard minima; the court must set a term that reflects overall seriousness. In this case the judge set 16 years.
Evidence before the court showed Khan took a 13cm hunting knife into school and fatally stabbed Harvey in the chest; CCTV footage was among the exhibits considered. He was also convicted of possessing a bladed article on school premises.
Defence arguments that he had ‘snapped’ after bullying and lacked intent were rejected. The jury convicted him of murder in August, and the judge said he acted as the aggressor rather than in self‑defence. Material recovered from his phone indicated an interest in weapons, which the court took into account.
Naming a child defendant is discretionary in the Crown Court. Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 allows judges to restrict identification of under‑18s, but the order can be lifted where the interests of justice require it. In explaining her decision to identify Khan, Mrs Justice Ellenbogen referenced the public’s interest in understanding serious youth knife crime.
The incident followed tensions at the school. Five days earlier, All Saints implemented a brief lockdown after reports of threats between pupils; police attended and no knife was found. The prosecution outlined a subsequent social‑media dispute between the boys before the lunchtime confrontation on 3 February.
The case also highlights what schools can lawfully do on prevention. Department for Education guidance confirms that schools may screen pupils with walk‑through arches or hand‑held wands without consent or specific suspicion and may refuse entry if a pupil declines screening. Separate powers permit searches without consent for prohibited items where there are reasonable grounds, with safeguards on who conducts searches and how.
Safeguarding duties frame the wider response. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 sets expectations on risk assessment, information‑sharing and engagement with police and local partners. In parallel, the Home Office’s Serious Violence Duty requires specified authorities to collaborate on prevention plans, often through Violence Reduction Units, and to monitor delivery.
Post‑sentence, procedure is clear. Khan will serve his life sentence in the youth secure estate under arrangements directed by the Secretary of State. After the 16‑year minimum, he becomes eligible for Parole Board review; if released, he remains on life licence and can be recalled if risk increases.