'We'll campaign for safer future for kids'

THE parents of murdered Harvey Willgoose have called for knife arches in schools to stop other pupils losing their lives.

- By Paul Jeeves Crime Editor

A boy, 15, was convicted of stabbing their son while on his lunch break, and Caroline and Mark Willgoose vowed to campaign for airport-style detectors to ensure that all children are safe.

Mrs Willgoose, 51, insisted: “This can’t happen again.

“We know after all this that there are knives in schools.

“Harvey knew that, the children knew that and they’re frightened.

“The one place that children should be safe is in school and we must get knife arches to ensure this happens.

“In Harvey’s memory, we will continue to speak out.

“We will raise awareness about the devastating impacts of knife crime and campaign for safer schools, stronger communities and a better, safer future for not just our children, but all.”

Harvey, also 15, was killed after a fellow pupil with whom he had “beef” after an online spat, hid a hunting knife in his coat and took it into All Saints Catholic High School, in Sheffield, in February.

The attacker, who bought the weapon online using his mother’s credit card, plunged the knife’s 5in blade into Harvey.

CCTV caught the moment Harvey was stabbed with such force that the knife sliced through a rib then pierced his heart before the schoolboy collapsed and died.

Harvey was stabbed twice just five minutes into the lunch break.

Ruined

It was not the first knife incident at the school

The killer was said to have had a “significant history of becoming angry and using violence at school” - punching a wall, attacking a pupil and smashing a computer.

He claimed it was manslaughter due to a loss of control, but after 14 hours of deliberation, Sheffield Crown Court jurors yesterday found him guilty of murder.

Mrs Willgoose, who was gripping her husband’s hand, burst into tears and said “Yes!”. The boy showed no emotion.