Teenager detained for life for stabbing Alfie Lewis through heart outside Horsforth school

A teenager with a "worrying interest in knives" has been detained for stabbing a 15-year-old boy through the heart on his way home from school.

Bardia Shojaeifard, 15, has been given a life sentence with a minimum term of 13 years for the murder of Alfie Lewis, who was stabbed to death "in full view" of pupils leaving a school in Horsforth, Leeds, last November.

Shojaeifard, who was 14 at the time, was found guilty of murdering Alfie by a Leeds Crown Court jury in April.

Alfie was attacked in a busy street during home time when he was on his way to meet friends from Horsforth School, where he had previously been a student.

Shojaeifard had admitted stabbing Alfie with a 13cm-long kitchen knife he had brought from home but denied murder.

Shojaeifard can be named publicly for the first time after the judge, Mr Justice Cotter, lifted reporting restrictions preventing him from being identified on Friday.

He said lifting the defendant’s anonymity would help in the “vitally important debate about the scourge of knife crime, among young people in particular”.

Alfie's mother, Heather Lane, addressed Shojaeifard directly in court saying she will "never, ever" forgive him.

Ms Lane sobbed as she said: “Alfie was my heart and when he was stabbed in the heart it killed me too.”

She described Alfie as her “big-hearted boy” who was known for “sorting out everyone’s problems and being the peacekeeper”.

“We laughed, danced and smiled, we loved each other for 15 years and I thought we would for the rest of my life.”

In a statement read to the court, Alfie’s older brother, Antony Lewis, said he was his “loving and caring little mate” who “never deserved what happened to him”.

The defendant had claimed he was scared of Alfie, but the jury had discounted his claims and convicted him of murder.

The judge said he did not accept Shojaeifard’s evidence that he was “trying to scare Alfie away and swung the knife aimlessly”.

“You intended to cause him really serious harm. You carefully planned to confront Alfie to gain revenge for whatever happened on October 31,” the judge told the defendant.

He said one witness described Shojaeifard’s attack as “vicious” and that he was “trying as much as he could to inflict some sort of damage to Alfie”.

The judge said: “Alfie was a much loved and loving son and nephew, a friend to many – kind and big-hearted with a love of football, something you shared, you even played together in Year 5.

“Despite his difficulties at school he had many positive qualities. He had a long life ahead of him and you took that away.”

He added: “Knives have stolen so many lives, and you and others must understand how dangerous this obsession is.

“Without your interest in knives Alfie would be here today.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.