15-Year-Old Who Was ‘Obsessed’ with Weapons Killed Fellow Student in Lunch-Hour Horror

A 15-year-old boy in the U.K. was found guilty Friday of fatally stabbing a classmate during a lunch break at their school earlier this year.

Harvey Willgoose, also 15, died on Feb. 3 after being attacked in front of fellow students at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield, England. Witnesses said children ran in fear as the assault unfolded.

The defendant — whose identity remains protected due to his age — admitted to manslaughter, claiming he “snapped” in the moment, but denied committing premeditated murder, according to The Guardian, BBC, and The Times. He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.

Harvey’s mother, Caroline Willgoose, broke down in tears as the verdict was read. “I want him to be remembered as the fun-loving kid, cheeky-chappy, sociable kid that he was,” she told The Standard. “He was just a joy. He was a million miles an hour, he was a happy chappy, loved life, loads of friends.”

Prosecutors said the stabbing followed a dispute that had been simmering for days. The boys reportedly took opposite sides in a conflict between two other students, straining their friendship. On the morning of the attack, Harvey allegedly told friends the other boy was “acting like he had a knife” under his shirt during class, The Guardian reported.

CCTV footage presented in court showed the defendant walking up to Harvey while he was eating lunch with friends. The teen punched Harvey, who fell backward, before stabbing him, according to The Guardian.

The defendant told the court he brought the knife to school because he feared being harmed. He also described a troubled home life, saying his mother struggled with mental health issues and his father — who was rarely present — had physically abused him.

Prosecutors said the teen had recently searched online for “rage rooms” and other ways to release anger, and had become “obsessed” with weapons, particularly knives, according to BBC.