Boy, 15, who murdered Harvey Willgoose sentenced to life with minimum term of 16 years
A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years for murdering Sheffield schoolboy Harvey Willgoose in a lunch break knife attack.
Harvey, also 15, was stabbed twice in the chest by Mohammed Umar Khan outside their school cafeteria in February this year.
At Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen told Mohammed Umar Khan his “senseless acts” followed a “long-standing interest in weapons”.
She added the murder had a “devastating effect on Harvey’s family” and their lives have been “blighted by your actions”.
As it happened: How sentencing unfolded
Khan, who can now be named after the judge lifted reporting restrictions, took a 13cm hunting knife with him to All Saints Catholic High School.
Mohammed Umar Khan, Harvey Willgoose’s killer, has been sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
Khan stabbed Harvey Willgoose with a 13cm hunting knife. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
CCTV showed Harvey arriving at the school, with earlier footage showing the attacker trying to provoke Harvey, who remained calm.
The attacker was also seen in footage holding a knife in the canteen before the stabbing.
CCTV footage captured Khan arriving at school on the day of the fatal stabbing. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
Khan had previously admitted to manslaughter but denied murder. But in August, he was found guilty at Sheffield Crown Court by a majority verdict of 11 to one.
Defence lawyers claimed the boy had “lost control” after years of bullying and “an intense period of fear at school”.
He told teachers after the stabbing “you know I can’t control it” and “I’m not right in the head”.
Harvey Willgoose (L) was murdered by Mohammed Umar Khan (R). Pics: PA/Ben Lack Photography
Doesn’t look like he’s sorry
Speaking outside court, Harvey Willgoose’s mother, Caroline, said she was relieved the case was over.
“I feel like a big weight’s been lifted off my shoulders, to be honest. He [Khan] doesn’t look like he’s sorry but I just hope that’s his mask.”
Harvey was stabbed outside of the school cafeteria. Pic: Ben Lack Photography Limited
Caroline Willgoose, whose father died last week, also spoke to Sky News about the anti-knife campaigns she was developing following the death of Harvey.
“He were funny, he were caring, and that’s how I want him to be remembered. I hate him being remembered as the school kid that got stabbed to death in school. He’d hate that.”
Asked about her thoughts of Khan, she said: “I don’t really have any feelings for him. I don’t know whether they’ll come… but I do feel like he’s been let down. They’ve both been let down.”
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My son has been ‘let down’
‘Popular, energetic, full-loving’
Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which operates All Saints Catholic High School, described Harvey as “a popular, energetic and fun-loving pupil who is dearly missed every day by the whole school community”.
He added: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with Harvey’s family, loved ones and friends. We cannot begin to imagine the depth of their loss and our deepest sympathies go out to them today and every day.
“Since the conclusion of the trial, the school and trust have been able to engage fully with a number of ongoing investigations aimed at answering key questions about Harvey’s tragic death. We will continue to work closely with these partners and cooperate fully with these investigations.”
Khan pictured holding the weapon used to kill Harvey Willgoose. Pic: South Yorkshire Police
‘Senseless acts’ had ‘devastating effect’
During sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Mrs Justice Ellenbogen told Khan his “senseless acts have had a devastating effect”.
“Harvey’s family is haunted by the CCTV footage of the events of that day, and, exhausted by the trauma in their lives in which his absence is felt every day.”
“It is clear that Harvey was also a popular pupil whom students and teachers held in affection. Their lives, too have been blighted by your actions, which have affected them deeply and will continue to do so.”
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Community left in shock
Mrs Ellenbogen added that Khan had a “long-standing interest in weapons” and images on his mobile phone showed him posing with hunting-style knives, a machete and a hammer.
She told Khan he had a “long-standing inability to manage your anger”, including three separate school incidents between November 2024 and January 2025 in which he had become angry and aggressive.
The judge told him he would serve a minimum term of 16 years minus time spent in custody, which works out at around 15 years, three months. Khan did not show any obvious emotion as the sentence was passed.
Following the murder, the parents of Harvey, Caroline and Mark Willgoose, told Sky News they wanted to see knife arches “in all secondary schools and colleges”.
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‘Our mental health has been destroyed’
Ahead of sentencing, Harvey’s sister, Sophie Willgoose, described in her victim impact statement the family’s “world was shattered forever” after they were told about his murder.
She added: “The defendant didn’t just end Harvey’s life, he ended ours too. Our mental health has been destroyed.”
Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, said that while Khan had no previous convictions, he had previously taken an axe and a knife separately on to the school premises.
Khan and Harvey had “fronted up” to one another in confrontations at school, he added.
Attack was ‘split-second decision’
The detective who led the murder investigation said there was evidence that Khan was friends with Harvey until days before the fatal incident.
Following the trial, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Knowles said a relatively trivial incident had led to a “split-second decision to do something which just had dire and terrible consequences”.
“It was the knife that escalated this so quickly and led to consequences which you can’t undo or take back afterwards,” he added.
Focus on knife crime prevention
Kilvinder Vigurs, South Yorkshire’s deputy mayor for policing and crime, said the trial “marks a difficult moment for our region” and more must be done “to protect our children from the threat of knife crime”.
In a statement, he said: “Knife crime is not just a policing issue, it’s a societal one. Our joint focus must be on prevention, education, and early intervention.”
Victims of grooming gangs and modern slavery are being denied compensation by a government scheme because of their criminal records, Sky News has learned.
Analysis of official figures by Sky News’ Data & Forensics team shows more than 11,000 victims of crime over the last decade have been denied payouts because of their unspent convictions, including children.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority can award money to victims of violent crime, including sexual abuse.
It is the only government compensation scheme for victims – for those unable to work due to injuries, the money can be vital.
But, if an applicant has a criminal record, they are automatically refused compensation with limited exceptions.
Those with unspent convictions sometimes receive reduced sums.
Sky News has found that at least 130 children with criminal records have received reduced awards over the last 10 years, including 50 victims of sex abuse, four victims of brain damage, and one child who lost sight in an eye.
This rule on unspent convictions is based on the idea that public funds should only compensate blameless victims of crime and not, for example, a gang member who was injured in a fight.
But many argue the policy punishes those who have been forced to offend by exploiters, as well as victims of child sexual abuse.
‘I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed’
Arthur Sherry, 43, from Perranporth in Cornwall was regularly abused by his babysitter from the age of five, including suffering rape.
In 2008, he reported it to Devon and Cornwall Police, alongside two other victims. He alleges the police did not believe him, and charges were not brought against his abuser.
Arthur Sherry, who was abused as a child, says he was denied compensation because of his criminal record
Arthur became angry and descended into addiction as a “coping mechanism”, becoming suicidal, and was repeatedly arrested for minor offences, such as making false calls to the emergency services.
“I wasn’t getting support from any agencies, and no one asked me, ‘Why is this man ringing the emergency services all the time?'”
“It was a cry for help. I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed.”
Eventually, Arthur’s abuser, Shaun Burton, was convicted of multiple offences against children, including 11 counts of indecency with a child in relation to Mr Sherry.
But when Arthur, who suffers from complex PTSD, subsequently tried to make a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority in 2013, it was rejected because of his criminal record and because he submitted his application beyond CICA’s time limit.
He was not allowed to appeal the decision.
Arthur, aged 12 in the picture, was regularly abused by his babysitter, Shaun Burton, from the age of five
Many survivors of grooming gangs have criminal records due to being exploited and coerced.
While the government recently announced plans to disregard child prostitution convictions for these victims, many are urging authorities to go further and pardon all related offences.
Former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird said: “They were not exercising their own free will and voluntarily committing crime, so there should be a discretion to look at that and say, ‘No, that wasn’t their fault’.
“They should get compensation for all the evil that was done to them by that gang.”
In 2022, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommended that the government amend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme so that “applicants with unspent convictions are not automatically excluded where offences are likely to be linked to the circumstances of their sexual abuse as a child”.
The government has refused to act on this recommendation.
However, Labour MP Sarah Champion has tabled an amendment to the upcoming Victims and Courts Bill, hoping to implement it, as well as widen eligibility to the scheme.
“Victims are seen as running a cannabis farm and get a conviction, before it actually turns out that they were a victim of modern slavery.
“These people, who are very clearly recognised as victims and survivors, aren’t getting the money that’s owed to them. The system is broken and the ministers need to get rid of it.”
‘I was frustrated that I wasn’t being believed,’ Arthur tells Sky News’ Alice Porter
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A government spokesperson said: “Last year, more than £164m was paid out under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to victims, and we are going further by removing the time limit for civil personal injury claims and doubling Home Office funding for services supporting adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.
“Changes to the way we compensate victims have been considered by successive governments, and our priority must always be to treat all victims of violence equally.”
Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Tackling sexual offending is a key priority for Devon & Cornwall Police and we are working hard to bring offenders to justice.
“We take reports of all sexual offences seriously and will carry out thorough investigations into reports, looking at all viable lines of enquiry.”
Nathan Gill was at Manchester airport, about to board a flight to Russia, when accepting bribes finally caught up with him.
Gill, the former leader of Reform UK Wales and a one-time member of the European Parliament, who on Friday was jailed for 10-a-half-years, was stopped by police before boarding and had his phone seized in 2021.
While they interrogated him, his home in Anglesey was raided, with detectives discovering more electronics and cash piles of €5,000 (£4,400) and $5,000 (£3,800) respectively.
Nathan Gill being questioned. Pic: Met Police
The evidence on Gill’s phone would damn him – he was in contact with a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine, Oleg Voloshyn, and had agreed to boost pro-Russia viewpoints in exchange for money.
Voloshyn would dictate the statement, and Gill would repeat it – in some cases, almost word for word – in the media or the European Parliament.
In one instance, Gill appeared on the now-banned Ukrainian TV channel, 112 Ukraine, which was known for its pro-Russian stance.
In the interview, he was critical of the Ukrainian decision to open criminal proceedings against Viktor Medvedchuk, the owner of the television channel and a personal friend of Vladimir Putin.
Nathan Gill. Pic: Met Police
Speaking to the outlet, he said he was “very concerned” about the investigation, and wondered whether it was meant to silence “opposition politicians”.
Prosecutors said messages on Gill’s phone showed that this was at his paymaster’s instruction, with Voloshyn offering a “reward” if he would say that it was unacceptable to persecute a person for their political convictions.
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Voloshyn also offered the MEP €2,000 (£1,750) if he would express concern that Mr Medvedchuk could no longer mediate with Russia on Ukraine’s behalf, the court heard.
He added that “V” – understood to be Mr Medvedchuk – did not believe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had “true intentions to pursue a peace agenda”, prosecutors said.
Bundles of cash were recovered from Gill’s home. Pic: Met Police
Sure enough, Gill appeared on 112 Ukraine saying it was “very sad” that Mr Medvedchuk felt he no longer had Mr Zelensky’s backing to act as a mediator with Russia, and suggested that using him “would be a sensible thing to do”.
The messages traded in innuendo, referring to the exchange of “Xmas gifts” or “postcards” instead of money.
But as the pair grew more comfortable with each other, they bargained more explicitly, with the sum of “£5k” quoted for Gill’s work.
Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Command at the Met Police, said Gill had also offered access to other MEPs.
“This is where we get into that slightly odd situation where it feels very much like a real effort to undermine democracy here,” he said.
“This is Nathan Gill reaching out to individuals that he knows, who are Brits, who might be willing to be paid to go and make speeches.”
Commander Murphy declined to name names, but said there was an ongoing investigation and that other people had been spoken to.
None of the pro-Brexit MEPs Gill allegedly approached have been interviewed under caution.
Pic: Met Police
Police confirmed there was no evidence to suggest Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was involved.
Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on 13 September 2021, under schedule 3 of the Counter Terrorism and Borders Security Act 2019.
He offered police no explanation for his actions and answered no comment in a March 2022 police interview.
But the 52-year-old is believed to have had financial problems.
Mr Murphy added that while Gill appeared to have pro-Russian sympathies, he was primarily motivated by money.
The ex-MEP has been jailed for 10-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to eight counts of bribery between December 2018 and July 2019.
Following an investigation by counter-terrorism police, officers said they believe Gill likely took a minimum of £40,000 in cash and was offering to introduce other British MEPs so they could be bribed.
Voloshyn was picked up by the authorities on a trip to the US in 2021, which enabled the FBI to discover his end of the conversation.
He is now believed to be in Russia, but has been sanctioned by the UK government over allegations of trying to destabilise Ukraine.
Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery over pro-Russian statements. Including to media outlet 112 Ukraine. Pic: Met Police
He remains wanted in both Britain and Ukraine.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Mr Gill’s actions were reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable.
“We are glad that justice has been served and fully welcome the sentence Nathan Gill has received.”
Mr Farage, the Reform UK leader, said: “An investigation into Russian and Chinese influence over British politics would be welcome.”
The MP for Clacton previously described his former colleague as a “bad apple” and said he was “shocked” after Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery.
He said: “Any political party can find in their midst all sorts of terrible people.
“You can never, ever guarantee 100% that everyone you meet in your life, you shake hands with in the pub, is a good person.”
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