Alfie Lewis' teenage murderer court hearing in full (2024)

'How bad have things become?' Judge's shock as Alfie Lewis murderer named and pictured for first time

Read the full story here.

Sentencing has now come to an end

The judge has left the courtroom and it is the end of the sentencing hearing.

Life with a minimum term of 13 years

Shojaeifard has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 13 years, less the time spent on remand.

The judge has addressed Shojaeifard and said: "Why you chose to do what you did, no one will ever know...

"You will be able to have an enjoyable life, a fmaily, career and other experiences and you took all of this away from Alfie who will forever be 15-years-old as you cut his life short...Whatever you say or do cannot bring him back. But from this point on, you can try and honour his life by doing something with your life before and after.

"You are a clever young man and must do something with your life and make Alfie proud. It is the very least you owe him and his life."

Judge pays tribute to Alfie's family

The judge said Alfie's family and friends deserve praise and: "It must have been truly heartbreaking to listen to distressing evidence...You have all acted with dignity and grace and Alfie would have been proud of you."

'Without your interest in knives, Alfie would be here today'

The judge told Shojaeifard: "Knives used by young people have stolen so many lives and you and others need to understand how dangerous this obsession is...Without your interest in knives, Alfie would be here today."

The court has heard Shojaeifard has spent 228 days on remand.

'It will haunt you for the rest of your life'

"I accept you now reocgnise the pain you have caused in taking away the life of another person, and in your letter to me you wrote you cannot turn back time and it will haunt you for the rest of your life," the judge said.

He added Shojaeifard's parents have had to leave their home after receiving threats due to his crime.

Shojaeifard pleaded guilty to possession of a kitchen knife at the first hearing in the Crown court last year. The judge said: "This itself is a serious offence in itself."

Minimum term and aggravating and mitigating features

The judge said he has taken a number of features into account in deciding the minimum term. These include his age, planning of the stabbing, the number of blows inflicted, the offence being committed in a public place, Shojaeifard's intention to cause serious bodily harm rather than to kill, the run up to the offence, and reports prepared for the court.

Shojaeifard is not going home

The judge said Shojaeifard "instead of being taken home will be taken to a secure place."

He added: "I have to decide the shortest or minimum length of time your time in this secure place will be, so you will be in secure places for at least this period of time. It is important you and others understand you will not automatically leave when this time is finished. It is up to the Parole Board to decide if you are safe to be released. That is down to what you do in these years...If they decide it is not safe you will stay in that secure place for a longer period of time."

Alfie was 'much-loved'

The judge said it is "right" Alfie's family have spoken of the impact of his death as "he was not able to speak at trial."

He added: "He was a much-loved, loving son and nephew, friend to many with a big heart and a love for football...He had a long life ahead of him and you took that away. You also took him away from his family and friends forever. You have ripped their world apart.

"They have a life sentence of grief as a result of your senseless attack on Alfie. My words can't adequately describe the terrible pain you've caused and the pain that won't go away. What led up to this attack?"

The judge said in July last year, Shojaeifard had a fight with another boy and during that was knocked to the ground and kicked by those including Alfie.

The judge also cited an incident on Bonfire night.

He said Shojaeifard had an "interest in knives" and images of knives on his phone, and he took the knife with him in case he "spotted" Alfie, which he did.

The judge said: "You approached Alfie and attacked him, taking him by surprise. The jury heard he told you to 'chill out' and put his hands up and you pushed him to the ground and stabbed him as he tried in vain to get away. I don't accept you were trying to scare Alfie away and you did not know if you hit him. You attacked him and intended to cause him really serious harm."

Circ*mstances

The judge said: "On 7th November, Alfie Lewis set out to meet friends. Alfie was 15-years-old, you were 14-years-old...

"You spotted, Alfie, went over to him, attacked him and stabbed him in the heart with a kitchen knife you were walking around with throughout the day...15 people have explained what they saw. As [witness] said, you clearly did not care who was watching. It was a truly shocking event that I have no doubt will live with those who saw it for the rest of their lives.

"Alfie collapsed at the scene and was taken to LGI where attempts to save his life continued until he was declared dead. A medical expert identified three wounds on his body - a wound to his jawline, the second a stab wound to his wife and one to his right thigh. It was the stab wound to the chest that killed him as it punctured his heart."

Judge now back in court

He will now proceed to sentence.

Defendant named and pictured for the first time

We are now able to named the youth as Bardia Shojaeifard.

Short break

The judge will sentence in ten minutes.

'He will have to live with the fact he has taken another child's life'

"He will have to live with the fact he has taken another child's life...As we have heard from the witness box, no minimum term will ever be enough and we submit that a review of the aggravating and mitigating features, allows the starting point to come down, leaving him to serve a very significant sentence indeed," Mr Lumley said.

'This is completely out of character'

Mr Lumley said it was a "very short lived incident" with "two blows with the knife" and "no attempts to continue the attack when Alfie was prone on the ground."

He added: "As to wider features of mitigation, the amateur way this was set out, some balance can be brought to the provocation this was revenge. The courts saw a graphic image of Alfie assaulting [the defendant] in a joint attack as he lay on the floor.

"As far as personal mitigation, you will find we are confident this is completely out of character, he is the son of supportive and loving, decent parents. They were thriving in this adoptive country. You have also heard of the effect on them, minor of course to what has taken place."

Mitigation

Mr Lumley said: "Nobody could fail to be moved by what we just heard...You know we must make brief submissions to the appropriate sentence, it happens in every case and our submissions are not designed to cause any further suffering.

"There is a report from the Youth Offending Team. You know that he has committed to writing a short letter for my Lord. In giving judgement about the reporting of this matter you made some strong conclusiuons on the nature of this offence. We do not disagree this was a shocking and senseless attack but we are confident My Lord will take all that is known about him now.

"My Lord knows there is more to this."

Life sentence

The mandatory sentence for murder is one of life, Mr Hassall has told the judge.

He said a minimum term must be set.

Statement from Alfie's mum

Heather will now read her statement to the court. She said: "Alfie was my youngest son, my baby boy, my little mate. He was the third corner or our little family's triangle which is now broken.

"He was my beautiful, kind baby boy and I was so proud of him...As he grew up whever he went he always had a football with him. We laughed, danced and smiled for 15 years and I thought we would for the rest of our lives...

"He would sometimes drive us crazy from his varied taste in music. Some of the things I miss the most are the simply every day things...I miss his kisses in the morning, goodnight and all of the ones in the middle...his jokes and amazing massive smile and the love he showed me every day. It's unbearable not to have that now...

"Alfie used to call me every hour when he was out with his friends talking rubbish...I'd do anything for that phone call now. Our house was filled with Alfie and his friends...He goes out at 2.40 in the afternoon and he's murdered.

"I can't accept what happened as the pain is too much. I don't know how to live without him and I don't want to...I don't know why this has happened to us. The impact Alfie had in our lives is hard to describe and because of this horrific senseless actions, so many people have been affected...

"I received a phone call on 7th November my Alfie had been stabbed...Just minutes before he left the house. The reality was I was never going to hold him, see him or cuddle him again. Never be able to hear him say. 'I love you mum' because he was murdered.

"Alfie would never use or never had any kind of weapon because I brought him up better than that. He was my heart and when he was stabbed in the heart it killed me too. My heart is broken and I don't know how to live my life without him. I have been robbed of seeing Alfie to his prom, his 16th or 18th birthday. I'll never see him learn to drive, meet his girlfriend and become a grandmother to his children...

"I have no words to describe it. I feel I'm in Groundhog Day and every time I go to sleep I have to wake up and feel like this again. Alfie's murder has ruined so many lives...No sentence will ever be enough that you will be given because Alfie is never coming back and I will never forgive you.

"I love you so much Alfie and I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

Statement from brother

Antony Lewis said in his statement read to the court: "Losing Alfie has changed my life and nothing will ever be the same again. I'm heartbroekn and our family is heartbroken. Alfie was such a loving and caring little man and he has been taken away from us. don't get me wrong - he had his moments, but what child doesn't? No matter what those moments were he didn't deserve this...

"I've had sleepless nights hearing mum crying herself to sleep. I'm left dealing with the most important person in mine and Alfie's lives completely broken to bits. I miss Alfie's 12 phone calls again, the nights we stayed up playing FIFA together, his smile, his loving and caring, his annoyingness, everything.

"I love you so much Alfie."

Statement from aunt

Alfie's auntie Natalie said in her statement read to the court: "7th November 2023 was a day that changed so many lives for the worst...Alfie touched so many lives, he was so truly loved and wa sa special character...The pain I felt that day was something I have never felt before. I feel my life has been tipped upside down with the anxiety, pressure and loss.

"I have had to watch my sister and nephew go through the pain they are going through...Being his auntie Nat was an honour. He always made me laugh and when I was feeling upset he always knew what to say to cheer him up...He gave my children so much confidence, especially my oldest son who has autism and now is at crisis point. Often when my son plays on his computer he says 'Alfie might be back online one day' and checks for him.

"Having to watch my own children is devastating. He was like a brother and a safe place to them. Now they don't have a safe place and are lost. I'm forever grateful for the precious moments we got to have with Alfie.

"I ask every day, 'Why Alfie? Why our family? Why him.' I miss him every day but I know he's watching over us, giving us strength to carry on. For us, the pain continues."

Statement from aunt

Alfie's auntie Emily will now read her statement to the court.

She said: "On 7th November I had taken my mum to her hospital appointment. We had a lovely afternoon planned as my uncle was flying from New Zealand to see her but instead I had to tell her Alfie had been murdered. Her first words were 'Why can't I swap places with her if I'm going to die anyway?'

"She did pass away on 13th March and it breaks my heart knowing she did so not seeing justice. I've been unable to return to work as a nurse and I'm not sure I can return to the hospital that holds so much trauma for me and my family. I have a shaded view of the world...

"On a day to day basis I can't get to the supermarket or pass the bench that has been left as a tribute to Alfie. The outfit I was wearing that day remains in the same spot I left it that night. I'm unable to prepare food even with a small knife. I instantly stop in my tracks if I hear a helicopter over my head or see emergency services going by.

"He was murdered and losing him was a direct result of someone else's actions...More often than not on a normal day my partner would have been walking our dog on the same crossing and he often saw Alfie and we will spend the rest of our lives wondering if things had been different if he did that day."

Statement from aunt

Sophie said: "Writing a victim impact statement is a weird thing as it means I have to acknowledge I am a victim and so is Alfie. I still haven't come to terms with the fact Alfie has gone. He's gone forever.

"On 7th November I was at work and I did something I don't usually do and I checked my phone. I had calls and a number of WhatsApp messages. My first thought was sometihng had happened with my mum, who is terminally ill. I had a message from a friend saying she was at a scene and 'was it something to do with Alfie?' And a message from my sister saying Alfie had been stabbed.

"I don't remember the drive back to my mum and dads but remember calling my manager saying they were syaing Alfie was dead but that obviuosly wasn't true. Every day since 7th November I asked who can change this and who can make this right. I remember saying to my husband 'this is a bad dream, this isn't happening.'

"The last time I saw Alfie was 28th November...It was an absolute muddle of tables and chairs..."

Sophie said she had "no idea she wouldn't see him alive again." She added: "I don't sleep through the night without waking three or four times, I'm not eating consistently...

"I've had to throw away the clothes I wore to his funeral, everytime I looked at my coat I saw it as the one I wore to Alfie's funeral. I struggle to leave the house or be around people without feeling panicked...I feel like I'm isolated from ym friends and I've had days where I couldn't move and was frozen unable to think or stop thinking about Alfie.

"I not only mourn the loss of my baby nephew, but the memories I could have happened with him. My potential future children will never get to know their cousin...I will never bump ito him walking in Horsforth and I will never get to tell him I love him or kiss him.

"I'm not the person who woke up on 7th November and I will never be again. It has impacted every aspect of my life and changed the fibre of my being."

Victim personal statements

The court will now hear a number of statements from members of Alfie's family. They include statements from three of his aunts, Sophie, Emily and Natalie, his brother Anthony and his mum Heather.

Sophie, Emily and Heather will read their own statement. Mr Hassall will read the statements of Natalie and Anthony.

Prosecution opening

Mr Hassall KC is addressing the court.

He says the youth is 15. He was 14 at the time of the offences and has no previous convictions.

Youth to be named

The Honourable Mr Justice Cotter has ruled the defendant should be named once he has been sentenced.

Judge now sitting

We will now hear his decision on the reporting restriction.

Judge has risen to consider decision on the reporting restriction

Court will reassemble shortly.

Reporting restriction

The judge will make a judgement on the application made by LeedsLive and PA to lift the section 45 reporting restriction prohibiting the identification of the defendant.

Defendant in the dock

He has now been identified.

Judge now sitting

The sentencing will now get underway.