One of Britain’s youngest killers is captured fleeing after being fatally shot with his friends. Ava White, a 12-year-old girl from school.
The CCTV footage shows the 14-year-old boy running down the street, before he enters a convenience shop after the incident at Primark in Liverpool’s city centre.
Ava died after he tried to kill him. He bought crumpets of butter, arranged his hair and then went home to play Call Of Duty.
Video footage also captures the moment the boy, who was barely tall enough for him to be able to see the counter at the time, is taken into custody by police following the stabbing attack on the girl.
He was sentenced to a life term with an average of 13 years in prison today for stabbing Ava with a knife and cutting her neck on November 25, last year.
The Year 8 Catholic school student was knifed by him after an argument regarding how he had filmed her and their friends using Snapchat during a display of firework in the centre.
Ava was stabbed in the stomach by a boy friend. A court heard that the pair had never met each other before the attack.
After a judge rejected media and family demands for the lifting of a law protecting the anonymity of the killer, he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court.
Because the boy is under 18 years old, his identity is protected automatically under UK law. A judge may make an order to lift the provision.
In a separate case, Craig Mulligan was awarded the right to keep his identity secret by a Cardiff Crown Court Judge. He had been found guilty along with Logan Mwangi at Cardiff Crown Court.
A motion to exonerate the killer was presented to the court at today’s sentencing hearing for Ava’s death. The judge rejected it, saying that there were ‘immediate concern for the defendant’ if his identity is more widely known.
Judge Amanda Yip said that the judge had considered the welfare and safety of the killer’s families when refusing to grant the application.
Prosecutors claim that the 15-year-old threw his jacket into a nearby trash bin after inflicting a serious injury to young Ava.
Legal representatives representing the boy who had never met Ava, however, maintained during trial that the defendant was acting in self-defence’. After a May two-week trial, he was convicted of murder.
He is one of Britain’s youngest ever convicted killers.
Leanne White, Ava’s mother, told today’s sentencing hearing that her tragic loss of daughter Ava has been replayed over and over in her head since.
While Ms White was addressing the court through videolink (the defendant), he covered his face in his hand while Mia White (18 years old) and Mia (16-18 years old) cried.
Ms. White delivered a devastating victim impact statement to the court.
Ava White (pictured), was stabbed to the neck near the intersection of School Lane, Church Alley and Liverpool City Centre on November 25, last year.
The CCTV footage shows the 14-year-old running down the street, before he enters a convenience shop after the incident at Primark in Liverpool.
After an argument over him filming her Snapchat, he stabbed the Notre Dame Catholic College Year 8 student with a knife.
According to them, he took off his knife, jacket (pictured), and cell phone for a cover-up’. He then took selfies, bought butter for crumpets, and played Call of Duty.
It was the jacket that Ava White, a 14-year old boy, wore when he attacked her. Later, it was discovered in a dumpster (pictured).
“She was my life. She was the life and soul at the party. Her happy and healthy family loved her. My life became dimming.
“Now I have nothing to be happy for. It was Christmas Eve when she was so excited. My beautiful baby would be gone forever.
“My heart breaks. She will not hear my laughter, nor be held in mine arms. My Ava is gone but I am left with precious memories.
Ava, she said, was a kind-hearted girl with a desire to see the world.
Leanne stated, “Laughter is not absent from our home now. But happiness was also there.”
“We once lived as a happy family and continued our daily lives. Once outgoing and happy, I now fear each day. My baby was killed.
“All this horribleness was due to an individual who wanted Ava recorded on his cellphone. The girl was only 12 years old.
“She was only there to see the Christmas lights turn on. This could have led to her untimely death.
Leanne thanked Merseyside police and Liverpool residents who came in large numbers to support Ava at the vigil held in her honor.
Eva’s 18-year-old sister Mia told court that Eva had been taken by Mia. Since the moment my sister was taken from me, I have been a shadow my once loving sister.
“I spend most of my time together. Our days would be shared as we sat on our beds, talking.
“I still remember how she used to sneak in my room to do my makeup. I don’t go out or talk to friends since that terrible evening.
“Seeing my cousins play and laugh makes me feel hurt. Ava, the picture I keep of her, is what I kiss each day. You shouldn’t have a picture of Ava, but it should be right here.
“Every day, I suffer flashbacks or nightmares from that terrible night. I was shocked and scared by the unjustifiable murder of my sister.
Her mother, she claimed, had worked for Primark in the area where Ava was killed. However, due to its proximity to Ava’s crime scene it had become impossible to return to work.
She stated that knife crime has a ripple effect on families. The damage it does to families is devastating. And that families that are harmed by murder will be left with an unending life sentence.
“No early releases, nothing”
Sentencing the killer today, Mrs Justice Yip said: ‘There is only one reason why Ava is dead and that is because you chose to carry a knife and you chose to get it out and use it.
“You liked carrying a knife. You showed it to your friends that night.
“It was a terrible weapon that you shouldn’t’ have owned.”
However, rejecting her request for anonymity of the killer to be lifted she stated: “I fully understand why Ava’s family would like him to be named. The defendant’s identity could be made more public in this instance, which would cause immediate concern.
“Having reviewed all of the facts, I concluded that the public interests outweigh the need to protect the welfare defendant. The evidence suggests that there is genuine concern on the part of authorities to protect him.
A false alibi was given by Boy A to police. A second boy was then accused of killing Ava. After that, the court heard his version and declared that he acted in self defence.
According to the teenager, he did not mean to stab Ava but was simply trying to get away from her.
Ava, her friends and the defendant got into an argument after three boys made Snapchat videos about the group.
He claimed he believed she was a boy who could be armied and that he feared she might ‘batter him.
After two hours, eight minutes of deliberation, a jury found Boy A guilty of murder. He was also tried in a twelve-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
Ava’s extended family cheered and shouted along with shouts like ‘yes’ or ‘get into’ when the verdict was announced. Some burst into tears, while others apologized for their reaction.
The knife that was used for the stabbing had been previously identified by the court as belonging to the boy.
Nick Johnson, QC, the defender, stated that the defendant had the knife in his possession because he was a victim to crime.
The boy was question about his use of the 3-inch (7.5 cm), flick knife to enter the city’s centre.
He stated, “Because I believed I was large.”
The boy had been charged with several other offenses at the time Ava died. He was brought to court’s attention by concerns that he might be being used by more sophisticated criminals.
After two hours, eight minutes of deliberation at Liverpool Crown Court and a twelve-day trial in May, ‘Boy’ was found guilty of murder. Ava’s family (pictured right and left) cheered loudly when the verdict came back. Some burst into tears, while others apologized for their reaction.
Following the assassination of a Liverpool man on November 25, last year, officers were stationed in Liverpool City Centre.
A police line was formed near Liverpool’s central scene where Ava White, 12-year-old, died from an assault.
According to the teenager, he said that he did not intend to stabbing Ava but was simply trying to help her escape. But he was found guilty by a jury of murder. Pictured: Police at the scene
There were tributes to Ava White, who was fatally attacked by a boy aged 14 in Liverpool last November.
Johnson stated, referring to the pre-sentence reports on Mr Johnson, that Johnson believed that Johnson had been desensitized to violence in his childhood. However, that does not mean that he is a perpetrator.
A CCTV video of the boy running away from the scene where Ava had been stabbed was presented to the jury. It was at the intersection of School Lane in Liverpool’s city centre.
The police heard that he had thrown the knife, as well as his coat. It was later discovered in a wheelie container.
His mother contacted him about 40 minutes later after Ava was injured. She told him that police want to talk to her son.
One of the text messages that he sent his mother was a message in which he stated: “I am not coming home”. I’m not going to the cells.
As evidence was being given, the teenager was asked to explain why he didn’t give his cellphone to police.
“Because they always took my phone.” I’ve had several phones taken while I was at the police station.
A legal team representing the boy contacted the police to report the location of the knife used by him to attack Ava.
When asked by police why he desired that they have such information, he answered: “Because truth is my friend and it was not what I meant to do.”
A previous story was told to the court that the youth said to a police officer “shut up, you nonce” and boasted of smoking marijuana while he was being questioned about Ava’s murder.
After initially telling his mother that he wasn’t going to the cells, he was taken into custody at 10.30pm on November 25,
His trial included five interviews conducted by police in the day following his arrest.
After legal discussion, jury members were not informed that he said to an officer at the conclusion of his first interview: “Shut up, nonce.”
In an interview that was not given to the jury, he also mentioned’smoking marijuana’.
A person takes the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral order of services before the funeral for Ava White, who was fatally stabbed in November 2013.
During interviews he denied being in the city centre on the night of the killing, claimed another boy was responsible, gave numerous ‘no comment’ answers, told police ‘I’m not bothered’ and said ‘I don’t f****** know’.
The teenager gave evidence and answered questions about why he had lied. He said that he believed he could ‘get away’ with lying to the police.
He said, “I was afraid I was going to prison.”
He was supported by an intermediary during the entire trial which took place over video-link.
He was given a fidget toy which the jury was told could help him concentrate due to his attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
After hitting a PCSO last August, the boy who suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), was subject to a court resolution notice.
According to Mrs Justice Yip, the defendant was taken into custody in May for attacking two women. However, the case hadn’t been tried at the time Ava died.
Merseyside police said that a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding Ava’s death and any possible preventative or predictive measures will be undertaken.
Sue Coombs (detective superintendent) said, “Young people assume they’re carrying a knife for protection or because it makes them feel more powerful or brave.”
“But eventually, what will happen? A sequence of events they don’t have a lot of control over. Things happen without much thought when you have a knife in hand.
“That is the tragedy of these cases.” Although nobody would have thought that such a decision was right, it is often the case because of their easy access and ability to bring something with them.