For nearly four years, the identity of the teenage boy who murdered 12-year-old Ava White remained hidden.
Now, on his 18th birthday, the public finally knows his name: Harry Gilbertson.
Gilbertson, just 14 at the time of the attack, stabbed Ava in the neck after an argument over a Snapchat video.
The incident happened in November 2021 while Ava and her friends were out in Liverpool city centre watching the Christmas lights.
As she lay dying on the pavement, he ran away, leaving her behind.
Why Was His Identity Protected?
After Gilbertson was convicted and sentenced to at least 13 years in prison, Ava’s grieving family, alongside media outlets, pushed for him to be named.
But the presiding judge, Mrs Justice Yip, initially blocked the request, citing concerns for the safety of his younger siblings.
Now that he’s turned 18, those restrictions no longer apply, and the veil has been lifted.
Ava’s Mother Speaks Out
Ava’s mother, Leeann White, believes it’s time people know who he is.
“Everyone knew everything about Ava. Her name and face were everywhere.
Why should he be protected when he’s the one who carried a knife and killed her?” she told the Daily Mail.
Though she now understands the judge’s reasoning in hindsight, she’s relieved he wasn’t granted a new identity, saying she “couldn’t go on living” not knowing who he was.
A Tragedy Sparked by Social Media
The heartbreaking incident began when Ava, who had been drinking vodka with friends, confronted Gilbertson for recording and posting a video of her on Snapchat. She asked him to delete it.
Instead, a heated exchange followed, and Gilbertson pulled out a three-inch flick knife and stabbed her.
He later told the court he carried the knife to feel “big” and claimed he acted in self-defence. But jurors didn’t believe him.
Witnesses said he grinned as she collapsed, then fled and tried to hide evidence.
A Troubled Past and a Life of Violence
Gilbertson’s background was filled with red flags.
He’d already been involved in assaults, including hitting a police support officer, and was due to stand trial for attacking two women.
The court also heard he came from a home affected by domestic violence and was likely being groomed into gang activity.
Despite these warnings, no one could have predicted the tragic encounter with Ava that would end her life and devastate her family.
A Justice System Failing to Keep Him Offline?
Ms White was especially disturbed to learn that Gilbertson managed to post a photo of himself on Snapchat — on what would have been Ava’s 15th birthday. Prison staff said it was due to a “glitch” allowing him access to the internet using a tablet intended for education.
“I don’t believe it was a coincidence,” she said. “It’s disgusting. And yet, he didn’t even get extra time on his sentence.”
The Role of Social Media in Teen Violence
Like Esther Ghey, the mother of another teenage stabbing victim, Brianna Ghey, Ms White believes that social media platforms like Snapchat play a dangerous role in fueling harmful behaviour among children.
“Everything kids see on there is frightening. It’s causing more harm than good,” she said.
She wants the Government to take stronger action to protect young people from the dangerous and often toxic digital environments they now grow up in.
Living With the Pain Every Day
Even with the passage of time, Ms White admits she still struggles deeply with the grief.
“Some days I’m okay, other days I can’t stop crying. It feels harder the longer time goes on,” she shared.
“Why couldn’t he have just pushed her? Why did he have to stab her? She was only 12.”
The Ava White Foundation: A Mission Born From Pain
After her daughter’s death, Leeann launched the Ava White Foundation — a non-profit focused on preventing knife crime. The foundation distributes emergency bleed kits and provides education in schools about the dangers of knives and life-saving first aid.
“It gives me purpose. I do this for Ava. It’s the only thing that keeps me going.”
The foundation’s outreach now stretches across northwest England and continues to grow.
What Happens Next?
As Gilbertson begins adulthood behind bars, Ava’s family continues to fight for change. They want stricter social media regulations, better intervention for at-risk youth, and tougher consequences for knife crime.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.
But for Leeann White, the focus remains clear — making sure her daughter’s death wasn’t in vain and that no other family endures the heartbreak she now lives with every day.