Alfie Lewis: Teenager found guilty of murdering boy, 15, in Leeds

A 15-year-old boy has been found guilty of murdering Leeds teenager Alfie Lewis in a fatal stabbing.

Alfie, also 15, died in hospital after being knifed in the heart in Church Road, Horsforth, last November.

Witnesses described seeing Alfie being pushed to the ground by the boy before being stabbed twice "in full view" of a group of school children.

The boy was convicted following a trial at Leeds Crown Court and will be sentenced in June.

Sobs were heard from Alfie's family in the public gallery, who hugged each other as the verdict was announced.

Most were wearing T-shirts with pictures of Alfie, saying "Forever 15".

The judge, Mr Justice Cotter, told the defendant: "You have been found guilty of murder.

"There is only one sentence I can pass. What I have to determine is how many years you will be detained before you are able to be released."

The boy, who had denied murder instead saying it was him who was scared when he pulled the weapon, showed no visible emotion as the verdict was read out.

He later held hands with his parents through a gap in the dock glass before being taken away.

Following the verdict a statement from Alfie's family was read outside court by his brother Antony Lewis.

In the statement he thanked the police, emergency services, prosecutors and and the wider community of Horsforth for their "compassion and support".

"Most of all we would like to say 'thank you' to our Alfie, for giving us all your love, joy, and humour and making us smile every day in the 15 years we had to enjoy and love you.

"You are always in our hearts and our minds, and until we are all together again keep dancing in the sky our beautiful boy.

"We miss you and we love you, always."

During the two-week trial, the jury of five men and seven women heard that Alfie was attacked near Horsforth School just before 15:00 GMT on 7 November 2023 while on his way to meet some friends.

Prosecutor Craig Hassall KC said the defendant, who was 14 at the time, had walked "purposefully" towards Alfie before stabbing him, using a knife he had taken from a kitchen drawer at home.

He said witnesses recalled Alfie looking "surprised and shocked" and asking the defendant "what are you doing?".

Alfie was left fatally injured in the road as children from nearby St Margaret's Primary School in Town Street left for the day or waited to be collected.

A post-mortem examination revealed the fatal stab injury was a 5.5in (14cm) wound to Alfie's chest, which punctured his heart.

Det Ch Insp Stacey Atkinson said there had been nothing which could have justified the "murderous violence" Alfie's attacker used to end his life.

She said: "Alfie was only 15 years old and was not involved in gangs or any other criminality that could have put him at risk of knife crime.

"He had simply gone to meet his friends from school and was not looking for a confrontation with anyone."

Ms Atkinson said the youth convicted of Alfie's murder had launched "a deliberate and determined attack, repeatedly stabbing Alfie, who was completely defenceless, leaving him fatally wounded".

The convicted boy will be sentenced on 21 June.

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