Alfie Lewis Obituary, – A 15-year-old boy, who appeared to be normal on the surface but had a concerning fascination with knives, fatally stabbed another teenager on their way home from school. The incident took place in the Horsforth area of Leeds last November, in full view of students leaving a nearby primary school.
Bardia Shojaeifard, who was 14 at the time, was convicted of murdering 15-year-old Alfie Lewis by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in April. Shojaeifard admitted to using a 13cm-long kitchen knife, taken from his own home, to stab Alfie. However, he denied the charge of murder, claiming that he acted out of fear for his own life when he brandished the weapon.
The judge, Mr Justice Cotter, has now lifted the reporting restrictions that prevented Shojaeifard from being publicly named. He believes that revealing the defendant’s identity will contribute to the crucial discussion surrounding the issue of knife crime, particularly among young people.
Mr Justice Cotter expressed his astonishment at how a seemingly ordinary 14-year-old boy, hailing from a loving and supportive family, could commit such an extraordinary crime without any prior warning signs, except for some pictures of knives found on his phone. The judge noted that Bardia showed no interest in criminal activities, drugs, gangs, or mental health problems.
During the court proceedings, Alfie’s mother, Heather Lane, directly addressed the defendant while reading her victim impact statement. She stated that no punishment would ever be sufficient for what he had done and that she would never be able to forgive him. Ms. Lane tearfully described Alfie as her beloved son, emphasizing his kind-hearted nature and his role as a peacemaker who always helped others with their problems. She expressed her devastation at losing him, as their bond was meant to last a lifetime. The court also heard additional statements related to the case.
