Leo Ross's mother criticises 13-year minimum term for teen who killed her son

Twelve-year-old Leo Ross was fatally stabbed while walking home and the teenager who pleaded guilty received a life sentence with a 13-year minimum term; Leo's mother said the sentence was inadequate.

Twelve-year-old Leo Ross was fatally stabbed while walking home through Trittiford Mill Park in Birmingham on January 21 last year. The attacker was 14 at the time and, according to court reporting, had been linked to other random assaults in the days beforehand. The teenager pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years. Leo's mother criticised the length of the minimum term and described the family’s ongoing distress. Key details: - Leo Ross, 12, was attacked on January 21 and later died from his injuries. - The defendant was 14 at the time, pleaded guilty to murder and related offences, and has been given a life sentence with a 13-year minimum term. - Prosecutors said the defendant had carried out a series of apparent random assaults on other people in the days before Leo's death. - The judge ruled the defendant can be named but allowed 24 hours for any appeal against that decision; if no appeal is lodged the identification may be permitted after that period. Summary: Leo's family have expressed deep distress and described the sentence as insufficient for their loss. The court imposed a life term with a 13-year minimum and provided a 24-hour window for any appeal against lifting reporting restrictions, after which the defendant may be named.