A court has heard that a teenage schoolboy waited at the scene where he fatally stabbed a 12-year-old boy, Leo Ross, in a violent attack. Leo succumbed to his injuries after being taken to a hospital from Shire Country Park in Birmingham. The incident occurred as Leo was walking home from Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy.

The 15-year-old assailant, who later admitted to the murder and other charges, stayed behind to speak with the police, falsely claiming that he had come across Leo already injured. Investigations revealed that the murder weapon, a knife, was disposed of in a nearby river. Prior to the attack on Leo, the perpetrator had targeted several women in the park.

It was determined that the attack on Leo was unprovoked and random, as there was no known connection between him and the attacker. The defendant’s guilty pleas were entered after a delay for psychiatric evaluations. The sentencing is scheduled for February 10, with the defendant being remanded into youth detention until then.

Leo’s funeral took place in March the previous year, featuring a ceremony in Yardley Wood where he was laid to rest in a coffin adorned with bright blue paint and artwork depicting games consoles.