The mum of Ava White can't face returning to her job, due to it being just metres away from where her daughter was murdered.
12-year-old Ava, died last November after being stabbed in the neck on Church Alley in Liverpool. Her 14-year-old killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of murder in May following a trial and returned to Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing today, (Monday, July 11).
The boy ( Boy A ), who has since turned 15, was given a life sentence, with a minimum term of 13 years, by Justice Amanda Yip. During the sentencing Ava's 18-year-old sister, Mia, spoke to the court about her "loving" sister.
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During her statement to the court, Mia said her mum worked at Primark for years, but is unable to return to work due to it being next to the scene of Ava’s murder.
She said: "I try so hard each day to be as strong as I can for my mum who never should have had to bury her own child. My life as it was has changed, I miss my sister, the pain of losing a loved one to murder is never ending.
"Since that horrific evening of 25th November 2021, my life has come to a standstill, from the minute my 12-year-old sister Ava was taken from us to now as I am speaking to you in this courtroom, I am a shadow of my former big loving sister to Ava. I have always spent most of my time with Ava on either days out together or every night we would sit on each other’s bed talking about how our day had gone and enjoy each other’s company giggling in our room."
The 18-year-old added: "I even miss her sneaking into my room to rob my make up thinking that I did not notice but I always did. We were both very competitive against each other and would regularly race each other in everything and to be fair Ava would always win.
"Since that horrific evening I barely go out anymore or speak to my friends. I find it hard to be around my younger cousins as seeing them play and laugh hurts and upsets me.
"I have a photograph of Ava that I kiss every day which upsets me more because I should be able to kiss Ava and not a photograph of her."
Boy A, from South Liverpool, knifed Year 8 Notre Dame Catholic College pupil Ava with a flick knife after an argument about him filming her on Snapchat before laughing and running away. The teen then ditched the weapon, his designer coat and mobile phone in a "cover up" before taking selfies, buying crumpets and playing video games.
He gave a false alibi to police and blamed another boy for killing Ava before changing his story and claiming to have acted in self-defence. But a jury convicted him of murder after two hours and eight minutes of deliberations, having heard evidence over the course of 12 days.
The trial heard Ava and a group of friends, aged between 11 and 15, had shared small bottles of vodka and were "messing around" near the Royal Court Theatre on Roe Street on the evening November 25, 2021. Footage showed them "dancing and singing" before being told to move on by security staff at around 8.15pm.
They headed to Williamson Square and Richmond Street, where Ava and another girl were seen lying on the ground. Boy A walked by with three friends - Boys B, C and D, aged 13 to 15 - who were said to laugh and film the victim on their phones.
Boy A shared one video on Snapchat. Prosecutors said "angry" Ava demanded they delete any videos and tried to grab Boy C's phone. Jurors were told two masked boys who knew Ava's group came over - Boys F and G - and told Boy C, 16, to delete a video.
Boy A said they held a "big knife" to Boy C's stomach and threatened "delete the f***ing video now or I'm gonna stab you". After Boy C deleted his video, Boys F and G walked away.
An autistic man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he later saw Boys F and G run past with a "Rambo knife". Boy A's group and Ava's friends walked up Tarleton Street as they continued to argue.
Prosecutors said Boy A's group "jeered" at Ava when she lay down in Church Street, before she and her friends ran after them up Church Alley. Charlotte Newell QC, prosecuting, said Ava pushed Boy A on School Lane at around 8.35pm.
CCTV showed him moving backwards before he pulled out his knife and plunged it 5cm into her neck, damaging her jugular vein and causing "catastrophic bleeding". Ms Newell said his reaction had not been to turn and run, or slap or punch Ava but was "instead to thrust a knife into the neck of this unarmed child."
Jailing Boy A, Justice Yip said: "We have heard this morning that she was kind-hearted. Her family were proud of the certificates awarded to her for her kindness.
"Ava was also fearless. Her cousin said she thought she was invincible.
"At the age of 12, she had every right to think that. When she went out that evening to have some fun in town, no-one could ever have imagined she would be killed - least of all Ava.
"Ava’s death has left a huge hole in the lives of her family and friends. It is a hole that will never be filled.
"Ava will never grow up and fulfil her dreams. She will be remembered by many, and their lives will be marked forever.
"The way in which Ava met her death shocked this city. For a young girl to be stabbed in the neck in the city centre while many people, including children, were there to enjoy the turning on of the Christmas lights is truly shocking."
Sentencing, Justice Yip added: "Unlike Ava you will still have a chance to grow up, but your life has been changed forever. You will only be released if you can show you are no longer a danger.
"Because of your age, you may be released while you are still a young man. I know that will seem unfair to Ava’s family when they have lost the chance to see her grow up.
"I accept that you did not go out that evening intending to kill, or even to hurt, anyone. You did not know Ava.
"You came across each other by chance. It is a tragedy that the events leading to Ava’s death started with something so small.
"There was a bit of what looked like pushing and shoving between you, and that is exactly where it should have ended. You could have run away and escaped, just as you did after you stabbed Ava.
"You chose instead to get your knife out. You did not give her any chance to back off.
"You did not show her the knife or shout a warning, you simply swung at her - plunging the knife into her neck. The whole thing happened so quickly.
"Only a minute after Ava was seen running towards Church Alley, she had been stabbed."
Ava's mother also gave her "heartfelt thanks" to the people of Liverpool for their support following the murder.
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