15-Year-Old Who Was 'Obsessed' with Weapons Killed Fellow Student in Lunch-Hour Horror By Sean Neumann

A 15-year-old British boy was found guilty in court Friday morning of fatally stabbing another 15-year-old classmate last February during a school lunch break.

Harvey Willgoose died after the other boy stabbed him to death in front of other students at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield, England on Feb. 3, while other children reportedly fled in fear.

The convicted teenager, who has not been publicly identified because of his age, admitted to manslaughter – saying he “snapped” in the moment – but not to premeditated murder, according to The Guardian, BBC, and The Times. The outlets report that the teenager is expected to be sentenced in October.

Willgoose’s mother, Caroline Willgoose, burst into tears as the verdict was read, according to The Guardian.

“I want him to be remembered as the fun-loving kid, cheeky-chappy, sociable kid that he was,” Caroline Willgoose, who had to skip some days of the trial out of anguish, told The Standard. “He was just a joy. He was a million miles an hour, he was a happy chappy, loved life, loads of friends.”

The stabbing took place after a days-long falling out between Willgoose and the culprit, prosecutors explained, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper reported that the convicted murderer and his victim had taken opposite sides in a dispute between two other boys, which frayed their relationship. Prosecutors alleged Willgoose told his friends that the perpetrator was “acting like he had a knife” under his shirt during class the morning of the stabbing.

CCTV footage pf the attack reportedly showed the boy approach Willgoose as he ate lunch with friends. The 15-year-old punched Willgoose and then stabbed him after he fell backwards from the blow, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper reported that the 15-year-old said he brought the knife to school that day because he feared he would get hurt. The boy told the court that his mother had mental health issues and his dad, who was allegedly rarely present at home, had physically abused him.

The teenager had recently searched online for rage rooms and other ways to take out anger, prosecutors said in court, per The Guardian. Prosecutors also said the boy had become “obsessed” with weapons, specifically knives, according the BBC.