6 hours ago
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Caroline GallBBC News, West Midlands
West Midlands Police
Leo Ross was stabbed in the stomach as he walked home from school
A teenager has been sentenced to a minimum term of 13 years for murdering a 12-year-old boy on his way home from school.
Leo Ross had been planning to meet a friend in a Birmingham park when he was stabbed in the stomach on 21 January 2025.
His killer, who was 14 at the time, pleaded guilty to murder last month at Birmingham Crown Court as well as admitting several other offences after he attacked three elderly women in the days leading up to the killing.
Leo's foster family were in tears as Mr Justice Choudhury KC gave the teenager a life sentence, telling him his crimes were "horrific and shocking".
Family
Leo is believed to be the youngest victim of knife crime in the West Midlands
He said Leo was "loved by all who knew him with future ahead of him".
The killer cannot be named because of his age but the judge said he was minded to lift reporting restrictions allowing his identity to be published.
He has given Birmingham Children's Trust 24 hours to make submissions to the court before his final decision.
Mr Justice Choudhury KC said the defendant was "a young man with formidable mental health problems" but "knew and were aware of the consequences of your actions."
He said chose Leo because he was a smaller boy and afterwards cycled around Trittiford Mill Park telling people a boy had been stabbed.
The defendant he appeared to get "pleasure from seeing the consequences" of his actions", the judge said.
Leo is believed to be the youngest victim of knife crime in the West Midlands.
West Midlands Police
The weapon that was used to kill Leo, which was found with the killer's DNA on it as well as Leo's DNA
Leo's family said he had been walking a 10-minute route home from school and police said he was speaking to a friend on the phone, arranging to meet near a certain tree in the park.
His friend turned up to meet as planned, but Leo did not.
The teenager encountered Leo in the park and stabbed him before discarding the knife in some bushes by the side of a nearby stream which was later recovered.
'Wicked, senseless, unforgivable'
Reading a statement in court on Tuesday, Leo's mother, Rachel Fisher, said her son he was the most kind funny and caring little boy.
"It should never have happened. Leo's life should be just beginning," she said, wiping tears from her face.
"I've lost everything I did have and would have with him, my firstborn child"
Christopher Ross, Leo's father, spoke directly to the defendant when he gave his statement and told him to "look up man... you killed my son".
"Leo was loved by everyone. Everyone said how special he was. He was the kindest little boy you could ever hope to meet," he said.
He described his life since Leo's death as a "living hell", adding: "Leo, I will always miss you and I will get justice for you."
Amy Weston, a member of Leo's foster family, also addressed the defendant and said: "Leo was a small defenceless child, as vulnerable as they come. It was sickening."
"What you did was wicked, senseless and unforgivable."
Family
His foster family have described him as "the sweetest, kindest boy who put others before himself"
Det Insp Joe Davenport, who led the investigation into Leo's murder, said it had been a "tragic and random act of violence which killed an innocent young boy".
He said there was no indication Leo and his killer knew each other, so it had been a "totally random attack".
"From our investigation, it seemed he liked to cause violence before calling the police and watching the chaos he had caused," he said.
He described the killer as a "truly dangerous individual" and added: "We will likely never know why he decided to attack Leo, who was completely innocent."
