Teenage Killer Kian Moulton Named for First Time After Murder of 12-Year-Old Leo Ross
The teenage boy who fatally stabbed 12-year-old Leo Ross in an unprovoked attack in Birmingham has been publicly identified for the first time as Kian Moulton. The 15-year-old was detained for a minimum of 13 years on Tuesday after pleading guilty to murder during a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court in January.
Unprovoked Attack on Schoolboy
Leo Ross, a student at Christ Church, Church of England Secondary Academy, was knifed in the stomach as he walked home from school in Yardley Wood on 21 January 2025. He is believed to be the youngest victim of knife crime in the West Midlands region. His family described him in an emotional statement as an "amazing, kind, loving" boy who had no connection to his killer.
Judge Lifts Anonymity Due to Public Interest
The murderer's name can now be published after Mr Justice Choudhury KC lifted the automatic anonymity typically granted to under-18s in court. During sentencing on Tuesday, the judge stated that public interest in the case warranted identification, particularly to understand what could lead a child to commit such acts. "The defendant has pleaded guilty and falls to be sentenced for very serious crimes, including murder – the most serious of all," he remarked.
Pattern of Violence Against Elderly Victims
The court heard disturbing details about Moulton's violent spree in the days leading to Leo's murder. When he was 14 years old, he attempted to drown an 82-year-old woman and attacked two other elderly women. He admitted to:
- Two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on 19 and 20 January 2025
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm on 21 January 2025
- Possessing a bladed article on the day he killed Leo
Prosecution counsel Rachel Brand KC revealed that Moulton told the 82-year-old victim, "I tried to drown you, but now I'm going to kill you," after pushing her into a river and assaulting her with her walking pole. The woman sustained multiple injuries including a broken nose, fractured rib, and required surgery for two broken fingers.
Additional Attacks and Deceptive Behavior
A second victim, aged 72, was left bleeding profusely from a head wound and also required surgery after being attacked. In a police statement, she expressed how the incident made her feel nervous about going out alone. Following Leo's murder, police released video showing Moulton pretending to be a passer-by at the scene, falsely claiming to have discovered the fatally injured boy beside the River Cole.
The teenager denied two additional assault charges from October and December 2024, which were ordered to lie on file. The sentencing brings partial closure to a case that has shocked the Birmingham community and highlighted serious concerns about youth violence and knife crime in the region.
