A picture of the knife used to murder 12-year-old Ava White has been released for the first time.
Ava White was knifed in the neck by a 14-year-old boy in Liverpool City Centre in November last year following a row over a Snapchat video. Today the teenager who stabbed Ava to death was found guilty of her murder prompting emotional scenes at court.
Her killer, known as Boy A, from South Liverpool, cannot be named for legal reasons. He stabbed the Year 8 Notre Dame Catholic College student with a flick knife after an argument about him filming her on Snapchat. Prosecutors alleged the teen laughed and ran away.
READ MORE: Cheers and 'get in' shouts as Ava White killer found guilty of murder
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) released an image of the knife used to stab the 12-year-old after the jury delivered their guilty verdict earlier today. The jury found him guilty of murder after two hours and eight minutes of deliberation and a 12-day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
Some members of Ava's family roared and cheered, with shouts of "yes" and "get in", when the verdict was returned. Others burst into tears and some apologised for the reaction.
Prosecutors had earlier said Boy A had ditched his knife, designer coat and mobile phone in a "cover up", then took selfies, got butter for crumpets and played Call of Duty. Boy A gave a false alibi to police and blamed another boy for killing Ava, before changing his story and claiming he acted in self-defence.
The teen said he "didn't mean to" stab the schoolgirl and was "trying to get her away from me". He said he thought she was a boy, who might be armed, and feared she would "batter" him.
Boy A told police in March where to find the knife - with a 7.5cm long blade - and admitted possessing an offensive weapon. He told jurors he carried it "because I thought I was big".
Boy A claimed Ava had said "shall we just jump him now cos I feel like it" and he was "scared" when she and friends ran at him. Asked why he got his knife out, he replied: "Because I was frightened and I was trying to like get away - I promise I didn't mean to hit her."
Charlotte Newell, QC, prosecuting, said Ava pushed Boy A in 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. She said: "Instead it was to thrust a knife into the neck of this unarmed child."
The QC said Boy A and his group were "not scared of little Ava". She said: "He uses it (the knife) on an unarmed 12-year-old girl who is shouting at him." Ms Newell added: "He uses his knife, when he doesn't need to, on a little girl".
Nick Johnson, QC, defending, argued Ava was the "aggressor" and it was not the case the prosecution had "sold" the jury. He said Ava - taller and heavier than Boy A - had "pursued" him with her friends, while his friends - "intimidated" by the earlier incident - were "too scared" to step in.
He said Boy A was "outnumbered and unable to defend himself against numbers and a possible weapon" and the fatal blow was "a swipe, not a thrust", as he tried to warn Ava off. Mr Johnson said his client was a "scared kid", who lied to the police, but was "telling the truth now".
But the jury decided on a guilty verdict after just over two hours of deliberation. Boy A will be sentenced on July 11.
