A 14-year-old has appeared in court charged with stabbing 12-year-old Leo Ross to death as he walked home from school in Birmingham.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have attacked the schoolboy shortly before 3.40pm in the Hall Green area of the city.
Leo was found by a member of the public with a stab wound to the stomach on the banks of the River Cole, close to Scrivers Lane. He died in hospital at 7.30pm that evening.
The boy accused of murdering him is also charged with possession of a bladed article and six separate assaults, including one on the same day of the fatal attack.
Two of the attacks amounted to grievous bodily harm, prosecutors allege.
He is alleged to have committed grievous bodily harm against two separate women on January 19 and January 20.
The teenager is further charged with assaulting a woman on January 21, assaulting two police officers on November 26 last year and assaulting another woman on October 22 last year.
During a brief hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, the defendant, who entered the dock wearing a black hoodie with the hood up, spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
A 14-year-old has appeared in court charged with stabbing 12-year-old Leo Ross (pictured) to death as he walked home from school in Birmingham
Leo was walking home from school when he was stabbed in the stomach, police said
Dozens of bouquets of flowers were left at the scene of the attack in the Hall Green area of London
Neither of the defendant’s parents were present at the hearing. The court was told that the boy’s father ‘had concerns about attending’.
Defence barrister Mr Khan said: ‘The father didn’t wish to attend and there is not much of a family.’
The defendant was instead accompanied by a social worker.
District Judge David Wain remanded the defendant in custody to next appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
He told the teenager: ‘In relation to murder and other allegations you are remanded in custody to appear tomorrow morning in front of Birmingham Crown Court.’
The assaults on the police officers will be dealt with as a separate matter, the court heard.
Leo’s family paid tribute to him in a statement released over the weekend.
It said: ‘We want everyone to know what an amazing, kind, loving boy Leo was. Not only has Leo’s life been taken, all of our lives have as well.
‘Leo will be truly missed by all of us. He was loved so much by everyone. The family want to thank the school, the police and everyone involved in the investigation and supporting us all through this horrific time.’
