A 15-year-old boy has been sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in prison for the murder of 12-year-old Leo Ross in Birmingham. The boy, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to the murder, which occurred on January 21, 2025, when Leo was stabbed in the stomach on his way home from school. The judge, Justice Choudhury, emphasized the boy's history of violence, stating that he had been involved in a campaign of violence against several people, and that Leo's family was enduring a living hell. Leo's mother, Rachel Fisher, described her son as 'the most beautiful little soul' and expressed her devastation at his loss. She criticized the 13-year minimum sentence as a joke, arguing that the local authority and the police had a lot to answer for. Leo's father, Christopher Ross, spoke directly to his son's attacker, demanding that he look up and acknowledge his crime. The boy's defense attorney, Alistair Webster, argued that he had formidable mental health problems and a history of hearing voices. The judge acknowledged the boy's mental state, noting that he was thinking coolly and rationally, and detailed his previous assaults on several people, including elderly women. The boy had previously admitted to causing grievous bodily harm and assault, and the judge ordered that the remaining charges be dismissed.
