A devastated father has spoken through tears after his 12-year-old son, Leo Ross, was killed while walking home from school — a tragedy that has shaken his family and the wider community.

Chris Ross said he felt “numb and broken” as he reacted to the sentence handed to the teenager responsible for his son’s death. The offender, who was aged 15 at the time of the attack, was sentenced to life in custody with a minimum term of 13 years.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Ross said simply:
“That ain’t justice.”

Leo, described by family and friends as a kind and cheerful boy who loved football and spending time with his mates, had been on an ordinary journey home when his life was taken.

For his parents, the normality of that day has made the loss even harder to accept.

“He should have been safe,” his father said. “He was just a kid walking home from school.”

The court heard that the young offender showed no visible remorse during proceedings, something that has deeply upset Leo’s family.

Mr Ross said watching the case unfold in court was unbearable.

“You sit there and you’re listening to everything that happened to your child,” he said. “But you never really hear anything that explains why our boy had to die.”

Family members said Leo was their “light” at home — a child who made people laugh and brought energy into every room he walked into. Since his death, his school and local community have organised tributes and moments of silence in his memory.

Outside court, friends of the family gathered to support Leo’s parents, many holding back tears as they spoke about how deeply the tragedy has affected everyone who knew him.

The judge told the court that the seriousness of the crime required a life sentence, despite the age of the offender, and acknowledged the “devastating and permanent impact” on Leo’s family.

However, for Chris Ross, no sentence can come close to reflecting what has been taken.

“You don’t get over this,” he said. “You learn how to survive with it. But your life is never the same again.”