14-Year-Old Boy Guilty Of Stabbing Ava White, 12, To Death Over Petty Row Outside Primark

A boy, 14, has been found guilty of murdering 12-year-old girl Ava White last year.

The boy stabbed the Liverpool schoolgirl in the neck outside Primark in Liverpool in a row over a video posted on Snapchat, reported The Guardian.

Liverpool crown court heard during a 12-day trial that after stabbing her, the teen showed a “callous disregard” for his actions. He seemed “rather pleased with himself, as if he feels big." The teen, who has a legal right to anonymity, had denied murder and manslaughter. He claimed that he accidentally stabbed White in self-defense.

A jury took two hours and eight minutes to convict the boy of murder. More than 20 members of White's family celebrating after the verdict was read out. After the verdict, the boy put his head in his hands. He becomes one of the UK’s youngest convicted murderers.

Justice Yip, the trial judge, said that he would be sentenced on July 11. She told the boy that in light of the jury’s verdict, she thinks he knows she can only "impose a life sentence." She added that what she has to do is decide what the "shortest amount of time that you will have to serve in custody is.”

On Nov. 25, 2021, White was with her friends to watch the switching on of the Christmas lights in Liverpool city center. Prosecutor Charlotte Newell QC said that the girl was having the “time of her life” as she larked about in a group of about 10 children. In a chance meeting, a group of four boys aged up to 15 started filming the antics at some point. White took exception to the filming and went toward the defendant. She demanded him to delete footage that he posted on Snapchat.

Nick Johnson QC, the boy’s defense lawyer, said that White, who was 5 cm taller than the defendant, was the “aggressor” and wanted “to batter” him.

BBC reported that after the 14-year-old boy was arrested, he initially told police he had not been in the city center. In later interviews he blamed another boy for the stabbing.

Police have also released photos of a seven-inch folding knife that the boy used to murder White, reported Daily Mail. Photo of the padded jacket that he took off and stuffed in a bin in an attempt to avoid justice was also released.