A 15-year-old boy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death has told a jury he lost control after believing he was going to be knifed himself.
The teenage defendant told Sheffield Crown Court he felt regret and “sorry” for Harvey Willgoose’s family after he fatally wounded him in the courtyard at All Saints Catholic High School in the city on February 3.
Giving evidence for a fourth day, the 15-year-old said he had not wanted any trouble with Harvey that day and did not want to fight him.
After watching CCTV of the fatal blow, the boy, who cannot be identified by the media, said Harvey looked “angry, as if he was going to do something” when he walked up to the defendant.
He told Gul Hawaz Hussain KC, defending, that Harvey had one hand out and “one hand a bit in his trousers” which made him think the schoolboy had a knife.
The youth, who had brought a knife into school that day, told the jury Harvey looked angry when he brought up a previous dispute they had had, and explained how Harvey had touched him on the shoulder.
The defendant said this made him feel 10/10 on a scale of being scared and he told the court that he said to Harvey: “My bad, just shake my hand.”
He said: “If I said sorry and he shook my hand, I don’t think anything would have happened.”
The defendant said Harvey angrily replied: “No, f*** off.”
Mr Hussain asked: “When Harvey grabbed your shoulder, did he say anything?”
The boy said Harvey then told him: “I will do you in and do you in proper this time.”
He told the court: “I thought I would have got stabbed by Harvey.”
The boy said he then pulled out his knife, telling the jury: “I was out of control in myself.”
The defendant, who admits manslaughter but denies murder, said he could not remember stabbing Harvey.
Asked how he felt when he realised he had stabbed the other boy, the defendant said: “It made me feel upset, scared and shocked.”
Asked how he felt now, knowing Harvey had died because of what he did, the teenager said: “I feel bad and regret.”
And about how Harvey’s family had been affected, the boy said: “I feel sorry.”
Richard Thyne KC, prosecuting, asked the boy what he had meant to do when he stabbed Harvey.
The defendant said: “I was not thinking, I was not in control of myself so I didn’t really think of anything.”
The trial was adjourned until Wednesday when the defendant will continue to be cross-examined.
