A court refused the family’s request to lift the anonymity order concealing the identity of the teenage killer of 12-year-old schoolgirl Ava White, therefore the young murderer will not be identified.
On November 25, 2017, after a fireworks show in the city centre, the youngster stabbed little Ava in the neck outside a Primark in Liverpool.
After an altercation about his photographing her and her pals on Snapchat, the male, who was 14 at the time, stabbed the Year 8 Notre Dame Catholic College student with a flick knife.
Due to his age being under 18, his identity is already protected by UK law. However, a court may override such directives.
Recently, a judge at Cardiff Crown Court withdrew an order shielding the name of 14-year-old Craig Mulligan after he was jointly convicted guilty of the murder of five-year-old Logan Mwangi in a separate murder case involving a similarly aged defendant.
An application to lift the killer’s identity was presented to the court today during the boy’s sentence for killing Ava.
But it was rejected by a judge, who said there were ‘immediate concerns for the defendant if his identity becomes more widely known’.
Rejecting the application, Mrs Justice Amanda Yip said: ‘I well understand why Ava’s family wants him to be named. In this case, there are real and immediate concerns for the defendant if his identity becomes more widely known.
‘Having considered all the circumstances, I have concluded that the public interest is outweighed by the need to safeguard the welfare of the defendant.
‘There is evidence that the authorities harbour a genuine concern to safeguard him.
‘I take into account the safety and welfare of his family. I refuse the application for an expecting direction.’
The teenager is accused of laughing and fleeing after fatally hurting young Ava, according to the prosecution, even though his legal team said he was acting in self-defense.
The “callous” child and his buddies were captured on camera leaving the scene of the stabbing and entering a store where they purchased butter for crumpets and styled the boy’s hair for a photo before returning home to play Call of Duty on a PlayStation 4.
The teenager, who participated in the trial via video link, is now among the youngest killers in the UK to have been found guilty.
At the sentencing hearing today, Ava’s mother described how her thoughts had been replaying the awful murder of her daughter ever since.
Delivering a heartbreaking victim impact statement at the sentencing of her daughter’s 14-year-old killer, Leanne White today told the Liverpool Crown Court: ‘My beloved Ava dies all over again every morning I wake up.
‘She was my life, the life and soul of the party. She was a happy, healthy child adored by her family. The light of my life was dimmed forever.
‘Now I have nothing to live for. I remember how excited she was for Christmas. Never could I imagine I would never see my beautiful baby alive again.
‘My heart is broken. I will never hear her laughter or hold her in my arms. Precious memories are all I have left of my Ava.
‘Ava was a kind-hearted little girl. She was more than happy to offer support where it was needed, and people would come to her knowing she would do her best for them.
‘I will never see her grow into an adult, marry or give birth to children.’
The heartbroken mother said her daughter wanted to travel the world and would have had a ‘wonderful life’.
Leanne added: ‘Laughter was not missing from our home as it is now, neither was happiness.
‘We were once a happy family getting on with our lives. I was once outgoing, but I now dread each new day. My baby was murdered.
‘All this horror was caused by an individual who insisted on recording Ava on his phone. She was 12 years old, a child.
‘She had only gone to watch the lights being switched on for Christmas. How could we ever imagine this would lead to her death?
‘Rest in peace my baby girl, you are loved. The people of Liverpool have been so kind. To all the people of Liverpool, our heartfelt thanks to you.’
Leanne also thanked Merseyside Police, adding: ‘God bless you all and thank you.’
The court previously heard how Boy A gave a false alibi to police and blamed another boy for killing Ava, before changing his story and claiming he acted in self-defence.
The teenage said he ‘didn’t mean to’ stab Ava and was ‘trying to get her away from me’.
He said he thought she was a boy, who might be armed, and feared she would ‘batter’ him.
A jury found Boy A guilty of murder after two hours and eight minutes of deliberation and a 12-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court in May.
Some members of Ava’s family roared and cheered, with shouts of ‘yes’ and ‘get in’, when the verdict was returned. Others burst into tears and some apologised for the reaction.
Today a judge rejected calls for the young killer’s anonymity, which is automatically applied due to the offender being under 18, to be lifted.
Mrs Justice Amanda Yip said: ‘This offence has given rise to a very high level of interest.
‘I well understand why Ava’s family wants him to be named. In this case, there are real and immediate concerns for the defendant if his identity becomes more widely known.
‘Having considered all the circumstances, I have concluded that the public interest is outweighed by the need to safeguard the welfare of the defendant.
‘There is evidence that the authorities harbour a genuine concern to safeguard him.
‘I take into account the safety and welfare of his family. I refuse the application for an expecting direction.’
The court was previously told how the youth told a police officer ‘shut up you nonce’ and boasted about smoking weed as he was questioned over Ava’s death.
He was arrested at about 10.30pm on November 25 after initially telling his mother he was ‘not going the cells’.
The jury in his trial heard edited transcripts of five police interviews carried out in the days following his arrest.
Following legal discussions, the jury was not told that at the end of his first interview, he told an officer: ‘Shut up you nonce.’
He also referred to ‘smoking weed’ in part of an interview which was not read to the jury.
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’.
In his evidence, the teenager was asked why he had lied to police and he said he thought he would ‘get away with it’.
He added: ‘I was scared I was going to go to jail.’
The boy watched the trial via video link while being accompanied by an intermediary.
Due to his attention-deficit/hyperactivity issue, he was given a fidget device that the jury was informed may aid in his ability to concentrate.
The boy owned the knife that was used in the attack, the court was informed.
The child was captured on camera fleeing the scene after stabbing Ava, and the coat and knife he was carrying were subsequently discovered in a wheelie bin. The footage was shown to the jury.
The child received a call from his mother informing him that police were interested in speaking with him around 40 minutes after he injured Ava.
The jury heard a series of text messages sent between the boy and his mother, including one in which he said: ‘I’m not coming home. Not going the cells.’
During his evidence, the teenager was asked why he had not agreed to give his phone to police.
He said: ‘Because they always take my phone.
‘I have had a few phones took when I was in the police station.’
The boy’s legal team got in touch with the police in March to let them know where the knife he used to attack Ava was.
He was asked in court why he wanted police to have that information and said: ‘Because I’m telling the truth and I didn’t mean to do it.’