A teenager was "happy and just talking to his friends" moments before he was stabbed to death at his school, a fellow student has told a jury. The witness described how Harvey Willgoose appeared fine during the lunch break before the fatal attack.
The trial of a 15-year-old boy accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose, also 15, at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, heard testimony on Monday. Jurors were played a pre-recorded police interview with a girl who witnessed the stabbing on 3 February.
Witness describes fatal attack
In her video interview, the girl said Harvey was "fine" when he came outside for the lunch break. She told police: "He was happy, and he was just talking to his friends."
The teenager said the defendant came out and Harvey approached him, asking what he was saying in a class before lunch and "have you got a problem?". The witness said the defendant then punched Harvey before pushing him, causing him to stumble backwards.
Knife attack in school courtyard
The girl described how the defendant then "pulled a knife out" and stabbed Harvey twice with a black knife. She showed the interviewing detectives where the blows landed on her own body.
Harvey stumbled back again and said to the other boy: "What are you doing? Why have you just done that." The girl said she left to find a teacher and members of staff then came running out.
Panic and emergency response
She told the police: "Everyone was panicking and running." The girl said the last time she saw Harvey his shirt was covered in blood.
The jurors have been told that the defendant, who cannot be named, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder. He has also admitted possession of a knife on school premises.
Previous incidents at school
The trial has also heard about previous incidents in the school involving the defendant, including one five days before Harvey was stabbed which led the school to go into lockdown. According to prosecutors, two members of staff physically intervened in a dispute between two other students and the defendant had to be restrained as he tried to get involved.
The jury has been told it was the defendant's claim that one boy had a knife that led the school to go into lockdown, although police who responded never found a weapon. Harvey was not in school that day.
Defence claims bullying led to attack
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 said 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".
Jurors have seen CCTV footage of the incident in a courtyard at the school at the start of the lunch break. The trial was adjourned until Tuesday.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
