Leo, described in a family statement as an “amazing, kind, loving” boy, was walking home from school when he was stabbed.
A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to the murder of 12-year-old Leo Ross in a knife attack as he walked home from school.
Leo Ross suffered fatal injuries after he was stabbed in the stomach while on a riverside path in the Hall Green area of Birmingham in 2025.
The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to murder in Birmingham Crown Court today.
Leo, described in a family statement released shortly after his death as an “amazing, kind, loving” boy, was walking home from the Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy in Yardley Wood when he was stabbed.
The youth, who was 14 at the time of the killing and is now 15, also admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to previous attacks on separate victims, as well as having a bladed article on the day he killed Leo.
The Executive Headteacher of Leo’s school, Christ Church C of E Secondary Academy, has described his death as a tragedy.
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“Leo was a lively and happy young man,” she said previously.
“He had many very good friends who he absolutely adored, and they adored him.”
“He was just a lovely and bright member of the school community.”
He denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating in relation to two other people and those charges were ordered to lie on file.
A mural dedicated to Leo Ross on Scribers Lane in Birmingham. Picture: Alamy
Subsequent police inquiries established that the knife used to kill him was thrown into a nearby river, while the youth responsible, riding a bike, had previously hunted down and attacked several women in local parkland.
An inquiry by West Midlands Police also found that the killer opted to hang around to talk to officers at the murder scene, falsely claiming he had stumbled across Leo lying fatally injured beside the River Cole.
It also emerged that Leo had no connection with his attacker and was subjected to what senior officers believe was a completely random and unprovoked stabbing.
The defendant’s guilty pleas were entered more than six months after a trial was postponed to allow psychiatric experts to assess the defendant, who cannot be identified due to his age.
Judge Paul Farrer KC said sentencing would be set for February 10 and would likely last the full day.
He told the defendant: “I can’t sentence you today for a number of reasons. You will be sentenced on the 10th of February and you will be brought from wherever you are being kept to Birmingham where you can speak to your lawyers.
“In the meantime you are remanded into youth detention.”
This is a breaking story.
