Schoolboy killer says he'll 'be haunted for life' for murdering 'beautiful, kind' Alfie Lewis

Teen killer Bardia Shojaeifard said he will be "haunted for the rest of his life" in a letter to the judge after brutally snatching away Alfie Lewis' life in a petty revenge attack.

The 15-year-old was found guilty of murder last month following a trial at Leeds Crown Court. On Friday, as he was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 13 years for murder, was told he "must do something with his life".

Alfie, 15, was stabbed and killed as he walked to meet his friends on November 7 last year. He was stabbed through the heart and despite receiving medical treatment, he could not be saved.

Read more: LIVE: Alfie Lewis' teenager murderer set to discover fate - court sentencing updates

The court was told Shojaeifard had an "interest in knives" and had planned to carry out the attack in "revenge" after he was struck by Alfie during a filmed fight in July last year. It was said he kept images of the weapons on his phone, including some of him posing with blades.

During the sentencing hearing on Friday, the court heard a number of statements from members of Alfie's family, including his mum who said she felt like she was "living in a bubble" since her son's death. Heather Lane bravely took to the witness box to read her victim impact statement, in which 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, wherever 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..."

Mitigating Nicholas Lumley described the attack on Alfie by Shojaeifard as "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.

"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."

As he jailed Shojaeifard, the judge described Alfie as "much loved" and said: "It was a truly shocking event that I have no doubt will live with those who saw it for the rest of their lives... 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?...

"I accept you now recognise 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...

"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."

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