Khayri Mclean: Huddersfield head teacher on 'scourge' of knife crime

The fatal stabbing of a boy outside his school should be a "catalyst for change," his head teacher has said.

Khayri Mclean, 15, was attacked near the entrance to North Huddersfield Trust School at about 14:55 BST on 21 September. He died later in hospital.

Khayri's head teacher Andrew Fell said everyone had a part to play in tackling knife crime.

Two boys, aged 15 and 16 and who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court charged with murder on Wednesday.

No pleas were entered at the Leeds Crown Court hearing and a provisional trial date was set for 13 March 2023.

Speaking before the school held a minute's silence to remember Khayri, Mr Fell said that a parent's worst nightmare had become a "brutal reality".

Flanked by fellow head teachers and staff from primary and secondary schools, as well as community leaders, Mr Fell said: "We are united in shock, numbed by grief and determined that this tragedy should be a catalyst for change."

Khayri Mclean, 15, died after he was stabbed near the entrance to North Huddersfield Trust School

He said a week ago the hopes and dreams of a member of the school community were taken from him in an "unimaginably cruel fashion" and staff and students remained "bewildered and grief-stricken".

Evoking the proverb "it takes a village to raise a child," he said it would take every village, town, city and community to come together to protect all children.

"Each and every one of us has to accept responsibility that knife crime is a scourge on our society and that we all have a part to play in combatting it," he said.

"Something simply has to change."

A total of 2,399 knife-enabled crimes were reported by West Yorkshire Police in the year ending March 2022, according to Home Office data.

That is up 9% from the year before, but is still below pre-pandemic levels.

Mr Fell said a co-ordinated and systematic approach was needed to identify, monitor and support those who were vulnerable.

Coupled, he said, with "an unwavering focus on those who draw our children into a world where it is seen as normal and acceptable to carry and wield weapons that can kill".

He said the issue of knife crime was endemic in society and, if measures were not put in place to stop it, it would only grow worse.

"As a head teacher, I want to help children achieve their dreams not mourn their premature passing," he said.

Andrew Fell was joined by community leaders and teaching staff at North Huddersfield Trust School

Admitting he did not have all the answers, Mr Fell appealed to everyone to join a campaign to change the narrative and break the cycle.

He said: "Anyone with the knowledge of how, why and where the scourge of knife crime is presenting danger to our children - it is your duty to speak out.

"To say nothing is to potentially risk the death of another child."