Harvey Willgoose trial: Accused bought knife used in fatal stabbing online, jury told
A teenage boy accused of murdering Harvey Willgoose in a school stabbing told jurors he bought the hunting knife used to kill him online, along with another modelled on one used in the video game Assassin’s Creed.
Harvey was stabbed in the heart in the courtyard of All Saints Catholic High School a few minutes into the lunch break on February 3, 2025. He collapsed less than a minute later, and died a short time after that.
A teenage boy has been on trial at Sheffield Crown Court for the last three weeks accused of Harvey’s murder, which he denies.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted to carrying out the stabbing, to Harvey’s manslaughter and to possessing a bladed article on school premises.
Defendant asked if he posted pictures of knife to social media to send the message he ‘wasn’t to be messed with’
Under cross-examination from prosecutor Richard Thyne KC today (Wednesday, July 23, 2025), the defendant agreed he bought the knife which killed Harvey online.
He also admitted posting two pictures of himself with the same knife to social media in the days leading up to the stabbing.
“Was that because you were sending a message out that you weren't to be messed with,” asked Mr Thyne.
Replied the defendant: “Yeah.”
Mr Thyne continued: “Did you want people to know you carried a knife?”
“Not everyone,” replied the defendant.
“Did you want some people to know you carried a knife?”
He replied: “Yeah.”
“Did you want people to know you were prepared to use a knife,” asked Mr Thyne.
Replied the defendant: “Not that, but if they saw I had one they wouldn’t mess with me.”
When asked ‘what the point’ was, if people did not think he was prepared to use the knife, the defendant replied: “I don’t know if they thought I’d use it.”
Mr Thyne continued: “Did you want them to believe you were prepared to use it?”
“Yeah, but only if they used something on me,” said the defendant.
Mr Thyne has previously described the weapon as being a ‘hunting knife with a 13cm, serrated-edged blade’.
The defendant initially said he ‘can’t actually remember’ when he bought the knife, before saying he believed it was some time after January 16, 2025.
“Why did you order that knife,” asked Mr Thyne, still referring to the knife used to kill Harvey.
The defendant replied: “For protection.”
He agreed he had looked at ‘quite a lot of knives’ online in the months leading up to him buying it.
When asked why he chose the knife, of all the weapons he had viewed during that time, the defendant replied: “Because it’s a scary knife and if someone tried to attack me and I pulled it out they wouldn’t try and attack me.”
Defendant admits buying knife modelled on one used in Assassin’s Creed video game
The jury heard how the defendant also brought a blade he described as an ‘Assassin’s Creed prop knife’ in June of last year. Assassin’s Creed is a historical-adventure combat video game, in which weapons are commonly used.
Mr Thyne referred the defendant to a report from his psychiatrist who said the defendant told them he used his parents’ bank card to buy a knife ‘which had a design from a popular video game called Assassin’s Creed’.
“He [the defendant] described the knife being five centimetres to seven centimetres long and had a chain on it,” the report read.
When asked about the type of knife it was, the defendant responded: “It’s the prop knife from Assassin’s Creed.”
Mr Thyne continued by asking the defendant to describe the knife.
He replied: “It wasn’t big…can’t remember [how big] but it wasn’t really big.”
The defendant described the ‘Assassin’s Creed knife’ as flimsy, and said it was not ‘designed to hurt anyone’.
“Are you saying that’s not a real knife,” asked Mr Thyne.
The defendant replied: “It is.”
“What was the purpose of you having the knife?”
“I just had that in my room,” said the defendant.
Mr Thyne referred to evidence taken from the defendant’s phone, which shows he carried out online searches for ‘flick knives’ in August 2024.
He asked the defendant: “If you already had the Assassin’s Creed knife, why were you researching flick knives?”
“Because it’s the smallest knife you can get,” said the defendant, before adding the Assassin’s Creed one was too big’ to take out.
When asked why he wanted a flick knife, the defendant said: “For taking it out for protection…or like going out.”
Asked by Mr Thyne if he had a reputation for having an interest in knives, the defendant said: “Not really…people didn’t know me just for carrying knives.”
Mr Thyne asked: “What did you mean by ‘not really?’”
The defendant replied: “Like that’s not what I’m known for.”
He has previously described the years of bullying he has experienced throughout his time at school. The defendant said that - along with difficulties in his home life - has led to him developing anger issues he cannot ‘control’.
The trial continues
The defendant is set to continue his evidence to the jury tomorrow (Thursday, July 24, 2025).
He denies murdering Harvey.
The trial continues.