🔴 Areece Lloyd-Hall Jailed 16 Years for Harry Pitman Murder

Areece Lloyd-Hall has been sentenced to detention for life with a minimum term of 16 years for the murder of 16-year-old Harry Pitman, who was fatally stabbed on Primrose Hill, north London, on New Year’s Eve 2023.

The 18-year-old defendant was convicted at the Old Bailey last month following a retrial. He will serve the early part of his sentence in a young offenders’ institution until the age of 21, when he will be transferred to an adult prison to serve the remainder of his term.

Mr Justice Cavanagh told the court that Lloyd-Hall bore:

“Significant responsibility”

for choosing to carry and use a knife during a confrontation in which Harry Pitman was killed by a single stab wound to the neck.

The judge said the offence was aggravated by the public setting and by the defendant’s decision to arm himself before attending the crowded New Year’s Eve event.

Jurors heard that the victim and the defendant were unknown to each other and had attended the park in separate groups to watch the fireworks display.

The fatal encounter occurred shortly before midnight when Harry Pitman, described in evidence as “playfighting” with friends, accidentally bumped into a member of the defendant’s group.

The court was told that Lloyd-Hall reacted angrily, drew a pointed dagger, and lunged once, striking Harry in the neck just metres from uniformed police officers stationed nearby.

Footage played to the jury showed the teenager clutching his neck, his T-shirt soaked with blood, as he stumbled through the crowd calling for help. He collapsed minutes later and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Lloyd-Hall fled the area immediately after the stabbing and surrendered to police four days later at Hammersmith police station accompanied by his father.

During police interviews and both trials he denied murder, claiming he had not realised the knife was unsheathed and believed he had only struck the victim with the scabbard.

The jury rejected that account by an 11-to-1 majority, convicting him after deliberations lasting two days. It was his second trial after an earlier jury had been unable to reach a verdict in 2024.

In sentencing, Mr Justice Cavanagh said the court accepted medical evidence that Lloyd-Hall had ADHD and possible post-traumatic stress disorder, but concluded those conditions only modestly reduced his culpability.

“You stabbed Harry because you lost your temper and acted like a big man in front of your friends,”

The judge further said:

“In that moment, you did not care whether he lived or died.”

Under the order imposed, Lloyd-Hall will serve two-thirds of the minimum term before he can be considered for release on licence. Time spent on remand will be deducted.

The case brings to conclusion proceedings that began with the fatal incident on 31 December 2023, investigated by homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command.

The court was told that the murder weapon, a double-edged dagger, has never been recovered, but forensic analysis confirmed the defendant’s DNA on the sheath found nearby, matching his clothing and supporting the prosecution case that he had armed himself deliberately.

Lloyd-Hall showed little reaction as he was taken down to the cells to begin his sentence.