A 14-year-old boy accused of murdering another teenager blew a kiss to his upset mother as he made his first appearance in court.
Alfie died after being stabbed in the chest outside the gates of St Margaret’s Primary School in Horsforth, Leeds, on Tuesday. He was reportedly knifed while going to the school to pick up another child.
On Thursday a teenager appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court charged with the murder of Alfie and possession of a knife.
The boy blew a kiss to his parents, who sat in front of the dock, as he came into court wearing a grey tracksuit and flanked by two dock officers.
The teenager confirmed his name, date of birth and address and replied ‘yeah’ when asked by the district judge if he understood what had happened during the three-minute hearing.
He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Leeds Crown Court on Friday. As he was walking out of the dock, the defendant’s mother stood up and spoke to him, before starting to cry as he was led away.
Alfie Lewis, 15, died after being stabbed in the chest outside the gets of St Margaret’s Primary School in Horsforth, Leeds, on Tuesday
Alfie’s mother Heather Lane is pictured with him when he was young
Police yesterday carried out a search while investigating the stabbing of Alfie Lewis
No pleas were entered during the brief hearing, during which the boy stared straight ahead.
Alfie’s auntie was the only member of his family in court, where no application for bail was made.
District judge Timothy Capstick told the boy: ‘Your case is sent to Leeds Crown Court, you understand that its a short hearing today.
‘You’ll have to appear before Leeds Crown Court tomorrow. Do you understand that?
‘In the meantime you’re remanded in custody until you appear at Leeds Crown Court tomorrow.
‘If you’re kind enough to go with the officers they will make the relevant arrangements.’
As the murder suspect left court, his mother stood up against the dock and sobbed.
A second boy, 16, also arrested by West Yorkshire Police, was yesterday released without charge.
Alfie’s heartbroken family yesterday said he was ‘one in a million’ in an emotional tribute after his death.
In a statement released by police, his mother Heather Lane said: ‘I haven’t got the words to describe how devastated we all are.
‘Alfie you were one in a million, so funny and an all-round entertainer with your rapping and dancing feet.
‘You had the biggest heart and took care of everybody around you.
‘You will never know just how much you are loved by family and friends, and you will always be our uncle Alfie.
‘We love you so much. Nothing will ever be the same without you. You will shine in the sky, as bright as you did in all our lives.
‘I love you more than words can say, and you will always be with us forever..’
Alfie’s family and friends gathered on Wednesday to pay tribute at a bench where he would regularly meet pals at the end of his street.
His mother Heather Lane yesterday visited the floral shrine left in his memory on the bench close to the family home. She was too upset to speak and is understood to have collapsed in tears.
The Lewis family has described the murdered 15-year-old as ‘one-in-a-million’, saying his nickname was Uncle Alfie. Pictured: Alfie Lewis
A bench was covered in hundreds of floral tributes and pictures of the boy, as well as football shirts and a lion teddy. Tea light candles spelled out ‘Alfie’ on the floor
A bench where Alfie, 15, used to meet friends near his home, in Horsforth, has become a shrine – with hundreds of floral tributes, football shirts, a lion teddy and candles
Tributes to Alfie have flooded in following his tragic death yesterday. On read: ‘Rip ‘Uncle’ Alfie. A lovely boy gone far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers with your family. Rest in eternal peace. We love you.’
Heather Lane is pictured with a young Alfie in a photograph left at the makeshift memorial
Alfie’s friends last night launched fireworks at the spot in remembrance of the teen
Alfie’s friends also gathered to lay flowers and pay their respects to the ‘funny’ teen, who they claimed was ‘targeted’ by a known ‘troublemaker’.
The bench was covered in hundreds of floral tributes and pictures of the boy, as well as football shirts and a lion teddy. Tea light candles spelled out ‘Alfie’ on the floor.
One tribute read: ‘We will all miss you. The memories of playing football on the field and always playing out.’
‘Rip ‘Uncle’ Alfie. A lovely boy gone far too soon. Our thoughts and prayers with your family. Rest in eternal peace. We love you,’ one mourner wrote.
Another tribute simply read: ‘Gone far too soon. Fly high big lad.’
Alfie had been a pupil at Horsforth School & Sixth Form and turned 15 in September.
It is understood he was expelled around two years ago and no longer attended.
A friend said that Alfie was instead in a specialist pupil referral unit after leaving mainstream education. He was reportedly in Year 10 and studying for GCSEs.
The friend said: ‘School wasn’t for Alfie. It’s not for everyone. He was getting on really well at the special school. He was doing different hobbies, like working with wood and painting.’
Head Paul Bell has said the school has been ‘overwhelmed by the kindness and support offered to us following the tragic loss of one of our former students’.
Local Tory MP Stuart Andrew visited the bench on Wednesday afternoon and looked at the flowers.
Mr Andrew said: ‘It’s almost impossible to find the words that really describe how I’m feeling and how the whole community is feeling.
‘But my primary thoughts at the moment are with the family. I cannot imagine what they are going through.’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the incident as ‘awful’ and, speaking before Alfie was named, said: ‘My heart goes out to the family and friends of the young person who was tragically killed.’
The organisers of a fundraising site set-up in Alfie’s memory said he was ‘a lovely, kind, funny, mischievous, brave and generous young boy’.
They said: ‘He was loving, mischievous, adventurous and, as such, extremely popular. He was everything a 15-year-old child should be and his life was senselessly taken from him before he had the chance to grow into it.’