The teenage boy who murdered Leo Ross was sentenced this afternoon.
Leo, who was 12, was attacked while walking home from school in Hall Green in January last year.
His attacker, a 15-year-old boy, has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 13 years in custody, following a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court.
On the day of Leo’s murder, the teenager was seen on CCTV riding his bicycle around the area near Trittiford Mill Park. There, he encountered Leo and stabbed him before discarding the knife in bushes beside a nearby stream.
There is no indication the two knew one another and no known motive for the attack.
Afterwards, the teenager approached a passer-by and asked them to call the police, falsely claiming he had found Leo. He also spoke to officers at the scene before cycling home, having lied about his involvement.
Leo sadly died from his injuries later that day, prompting detectives from the Homicide department to launch a major investigation.
After reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV and doorbell footage, officers identified the teenager as a suspect. He was later arrested at his home address.
During interviews, he gave no comment and refused to provide any explanation. However, while being arrested, he told officers they would not find the knife he used to kill Leo.
Detective Inspector Joe Davenport, who led the investigation, said: “This was such a tragic and random act of violence which killed an innocent young boy.
“There is no indication Leo and the defendant knew one another – this appears to have been a totally random attack.
“From our investigation, it seemed he liked to cause violence before calling the police and watching the chaos he had caused.
“The escalation in his violence from previous incidents shows what a truly dangerous individual he is.
“We will likely never know why he decided to attack Leo, who was completely innocent.”
The boy was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday 10th February 2026.
Leo’s mother, Rachel Fisher, said:“My son Leo was the sweetest, most kind-hearted boy.
“He didn’t have a bad bone in his body. My baby’s life was stolen for no reason what so ever.
“My life will never be the same again without him. He will be loved and missed forever. Mom.”
Leo’s foster family, the Westons, said: “Today’s sentencing does not bring justice in the way our hearts long for.
“No sentence can ever undo or compensate the loss of Leo nor return him to us. Our family will live with this pain forever.
“Leo was taken from us for no reason in a senseless and unprovoked act of violence. He was deeply loved and should still be here, laughing, living, and sharing life with us.
“We miss him every day, our world has been torn apart and his absence has left a permanent void in our family, one that can never be filled.
“While we acknowledge the court’s decision today, it marks neither closure nor healing.
“It is simply another step in a journey of grief that began the day we lost Leo.
“Our focus remains on remembering who Leo was, not how he was taken from us.
“Leo was a polite, lovely, kind boy, full of life and energy, his presence would light up a room.
“He put others before himself and made friends wherever we went. He was smart and intelligent, loved to learn and teach us fun facts.
“He was loved by so many people for being the way he was.
“Leo’s life mattered. His kindness, his laughter, and his love will always be part of who we are.
“Though he is no longer physically with us, he will live on in our memories, in the stories we share, and in the love we carry for him every day.
“We will miss him always. He will never be forgotten, and he will forever be loved.”