Teenager Who Feigned Heroism After Fatally Stabbing 12-Year-Old Schoolboy in Random Attack is Arrested

A TEENAGE killer who knifed an innocent schoolboy to death in a random attack has been detained for a minimum of 13 years.

, 12, was walking home from school, through The Shire Country Park in , when he was stabbed in the stomach.

Leo Ross was murdered as he walked home from schoolCredit: Supplied Footage showed his killer cycling around a park looking for a victim Leo was walking back to his foster parents’ home when he was stabbed

His killer was seen on CCTV footage around the park looking for a victim as young Leo made his way back to his foster parents’ home in January last year.

After the horror attack unfolded, , who was planning to meet a friend in the park, was rushed to hospital where he would tragically die a short time later.

In the aftermath of the killing Leo’s 15-year-old attacker – who had violently assaulted two elderly women in the days before the stabbing – threw the knife he used into a nearby river.

He then hung around to talk to cops at the murder scene – falsely claiming he had stumbled across Leo lying injured beside the River Cole.

The killer also encountered one of Leo’s friends and told them “your mate has just been ” before riding back towards the area where he had attacked Leo.

He told officers at the scene: “I seen him and I seen this woman – she was walking down so I told her to call you guys.

“Then I went to get some help from different people, and that’s all I know about it.”

Leo’s attacker would later plead guilty to murder at Crown Court.

The teen also admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to previous attacks on separate victims.

He further admitted having a bladed article, denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating in relation to two other people – those charges were ordered to lie on file.

The court previously heard the teen, aged 15, had also carried out a string of chilling attacks on several women before killing Leo because he wanted to inflict “violence purely for violence’s sake.”

Detective Inspector Joe Davenport from the boy was “known” to the police but did not have an extensive criminal record.

Rachel Brand KC, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing at Birmingham Crown Court that before he , the 15-year-old had attacked three women in separate incidents.

Days before he murdered Leo, the killer pushed an 82-year-old woman into a river and hit her with her own walking pole.

Leo was wearing his school uniform when the attack unfoldedCredit: PA Leo’s attacker stayed at the scene and spoke to policeCredit: SWNS His killer also attacked elderly women leading up to the horrorCredit: Simon Jones

Ms Brand said: “The defendant approached her from behind and pushed her forcefully down and forward.

“She fell into a ditch next to the river. She believes she had been underwater and found herself soaked.

“The defendant told her: ‘I tried to drown you. But now I’m going to kill you instead” and he struck her several times with her own walking pole.”

The then told the terrified woman: “I would like to get some help, but you will tell on me”.

He went on to tell someone nearby: “There’s an old lady in the water and she needs help.”

When the passer-by went to help, the victim was “injured and very shocked” and told him she thought she was going to die.

The victim was taken to hospital and was found to have sustained multiple bruises and a laceration to her head, a broken nose and black eyes.

She had also fractured a rib and two of her fingers, which required surgery.

Additionally, the day before he killed Leo, the 15-year-old attacked a 72-year-old woman.

Ms Brand said he approached the woman from behind and “either pushed or struck her with and object.”

The woman was left bleeding “profusely” from a head wound before becoming unconscious.

Before leaving the area the said “I’m sorry” to the woman, who he left lying on the floor for a passer-by to find.

In a witness statement given to the police, the woman said: “I think this incident will make me feel nervous about going out alone. I feel emotional about what has happened.”

In a victim impact statement given to the court today, Leo Ross’s mother Rachel Fisher said her son was “truly the most kind, funny and caring little boy”.

Speaking from the witness box, Ms Fisher said her family had been “shattered” by Leo’s death, which happened on his grandmother’s birthday, and his grandfather suffered a heart attack at his funeral.

The looked down at the floor as Ms Fisher sobbed.

Leo’s mum said: “He was just an innocent little boy whose life was taken before he even became a teenager. He was only 12 years old.

“He was my first-born child. I love Leo more than life itself. My life will never be the same again.

“He was so excited to meet his baby brother and he will never be able to do that. My whole family have been shattered.

“Everyone has lost the most beautiful little soul, for what? We won’t ever know why such an innocent young boy, just walking home from school, minding his business, was robbed of his life for no reason whatsoever.

“His funeral was beautiful. The streets were lined by people paying their respects but it should never have happened.

“His life should have been just beginning but now he will never get to have his first job, his first car, get married or have his own children.

“I will never see my lovely boy get married or have a family of his own. I have lost everything I did have and would have with him.

“Instead of seeing my son living and enjoying his life, all I have is memories and photos and seeing him in my dreams.

“A part of me left that day and I will never get that part of me back. If love could have saved Leo, he would have lived forever. Losing my beautiful boy the way I did will haunt me forever.”

The youngster died after being knifed in the stomachCredit: Simon Jones