The teenager convicted of fatally stabbing 12-year-old Ava White in Liverpool has been named publicly for the first time, following the lifting of a court-imposed anonymity order.
Thomas Hughes, now 15, was identified after a judge ruled that it was in the public interest to disclose his name, nearly two years after the shocking incident that gripped the nation.
Hughes was 14 when he attacked Ava in November 2021 during an argument in Liverpool city centre. The altercation, which began over a social media video, escalated quickly and ended with Hughes stabbing Ava in the neck. She later died in hospital from her injuries.
The teenager was found guilty of murder in 2022 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 13 years. During the trial, the court heard how he fled the scene, discarded the knife, and lied to police.
The decision to lift the anonymity order was made after legal arguments from the media, with the court acknowledging the gravity of the case and the importance of open justice.
Ava’s family, who have campaigned for greater youth violence awareness, welcomed the decision, saying it brings a sense of closure and accountability.
The case has renewed national debate over knife crime, youth justice, and social media’s role in fuelling teen violence.