A 13-year-old British boy has been stabbed to death in Portugal in what his grieving family believe was a heroic attempt to defend his mother from a murderous attack by her ex-boyfriend.
A 'Lovely, Gentle Boy' Lost
Alfie Hallett, originally from Brighton and raised in Bognor Regis, was found with fatal knife wounds at a property in Tomar, Portugal, on Tuesday. Portuguese authorities confirmed the teen and the suspected attacker both suffered "several injuries caused by a bladed weapon".
Alfie's grandmother, Linda Hallett, paid tribute to her grandson, describing him as a "lovely, gentle boy with a heart of gold". She told the Daily Mail she is convinced Alfie died trying to protect his mother during the horrific assault.
Attack by a Convicted Killer
The alleged perpetrator has been named locally as Goncalo Carvalho. Shockingly, Carvalho was a convicted killer, released from prison around a decade ago after serving 14 years for stabbing a man 35 times in a park.
Portugal's National Republican Guard (GNR) stated that Alfie's mother was discovered showing signs "of having been restrained and assaulted". She survived and was rushed to hospital for treatment.
The GNR also reported a strong smell of gas inside the home following the attack, which moments later resulted in an explosion. This blast injured one of the responding police officers. Carvalho was found dead at the scene.
A Family Torn Apart
Linda Hallett revealed the complex family history that led to Alfie living in Portugal. She explained that after Alfie's parents, Mark and his mum, separated, his mother met a Portuguese man named Paulo. The family moved to Tomar when Alfie was about four years old.
"She didn't tell Mark she was leaving and didn't tell him where she was. It was only when she split with Paulo that he found out where Alfie was," Mrs Hallett said.
Contact was re-established in 2018, and Alfie's father flew to Portugal that December, securing court permission to bring his son back to the UK for Christmas. "It was so wonderful seeing Alfie again," Mrs Hallett recalled, noting his joy at meeting his baby half-brother, Rocco.
Tragically, contact had been lost again in recent years. Mrs Hallett received the devastating news of her grandson's death in a phone call on Christmas Eve morning.
Authorities confirmed the family had been flagged following domestic violence cases registered in 2022 and 2023, highlighting a history of abuse preceding the fatal attack.
