Liverpool schoolgirl Ava White's killer is named as Harry Gilbertson
A teenager who stabbed a12-year-old schoolgirl to death can be named for the first time as he turns 18.Harry Gilbertson was 14 when he attacked Ava White in Liverpool after a row over a Snapchat video in November 2021.The following year, he was convicted of her murder after a trial and, at 15, he was sentenced to a minimum of 13 years, but could not be identified due to reporting restrictions, despite representations from the media.Ava's mother Leeann White said: "I wanted the whole world to know who he was. I think Liverpool had the right to know who he was as well."
On Ava's 15th birthday, in January 2024, Ms White's nephew was sent a photograph of Gilbertson from a seemingly fake Snapchat profile.It appeared to show him posing for the camera with his arms crossed alongside another male whose face had been covered on the photo with a logo and who had his middle finger up.Ms White reported the photo and was told Gilbertson had been using an iPad for educational purposes and there was a glitch in the system allowing him to use the internet, but was also told the photo had been taken while he was on a visit.She said she was told he had been "read the riot act" but had no formal punishment.Ms White said she felt "really angry" when she saw the picture."I can never have a photograph with my child now so why does he have the right?"
Ava had been in the city centre with friends on 25 November, the night the Christmas lights were being switched on. The group became involved in an argument with Gilbertson and his friends, who had been filming Snapchat videos of them.Gilbertson was carrying a knife and stabbed Ava once to the neck, before fleeing the scene, discarding the weapon and getting rid of his coat.He was seen on CCTV in a shop later that night taking a selfie and buying butter, which he said was for crumpets.Ms White admitted she had mixed emotions about Gilbertson being named, as she said: "I try not to think about him if I'm being honest, because if I do, I'm just taking a million steps back."So I just try to focus on Ava and doing stuff for her legacy is more important to me than thinking about him."The 42-year-old said since the trial she had been told very little about Gilbertson, but had learnt he had done his GCSEs."It should have been Ava sitting her GCSEs, not him," she said.
When making the decision to keep reporting restrictions in place, trial judge Mrs Justice Yip said there were concerns for younger family members, one of whom had not been told he was on trial for murder.Ms White said: "Yet I had to sit my little nephews and nieces down and tell them about Ava, but they could hide everything for him. I feel like they've done everything they can to protect him and his family."She said she felt her own family had "nowhere near" the same protection.
Ms White said she believed her daughter's killer had an "understanding" of what he had done, but "no remorse"."He still gets to live and breathe. My Ava doesn't. His mum can see him getting married, having a baby. I'm never going to have that with Ava."She has since set up the Ava White Foundation to provide hundreds of bleed control kits. She said at least six lives had been saved through the packs."What keeps me going is I'm keeping Ava's name out there and that's more important to me, to keep Ava's name out there so she's not forgotten," she said
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