Claw hammer-wielding public schoolboy who 'planned' attacked on sleeping students and teacher handed life sentence
18 October 2024, 13:33 | Updated: 18 October 2024, 14:14
A public schoolboy branded "dangerous" by a judge after he was found guilty of attacking two sleeping students and a teacher with a claw hammer, has been handed a life sentence.
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The student, who attended Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, was sentenced to a life term with a minimum term of 12 years after being found guilty of attempted murder on Friday.
The 16-year-old boy was wearing just his boxer shorts and was allegedly "on a mission" to protect himself from a "zombie apocalypse" when he carried out the attack shortly before 1am on June 9 last year.
Exeter Crown Court heard how the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, armed himself with three claw hammers and waited for the two boys to be asleep before attacking them.
He stood accused of three counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack.
The teenager admitted assaulting the two boys and the housemaster at Blundell's School, but claimed he was in fact sleepwalking.
During sentencing on Friday, the judge said the teenager had "planned" the attack and "knew full well" that his actions would lead to the death of his fellow pupils.
Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Cutts said the defendant was "dangerous" and only a life sentence could protect the public from further offending, as experts were unable to say how long he would pose a risk.
"It nevertheless remains the case you knew the difference between right and wrong and planned to kill the boys and obtained hammers," she said.
During the trial, prosecutor James Dawes KC told jurors of the "obsession that the defendant had with one of the boys, an obsession with hammers as weapons, and an obsession with killing and killers and the killing of children."
The two pupils were fast asleep in cabin-style beds in one of the co-ed school's boarding houses when it was alleged the defendant attacked them.
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Housemaster Henry Roffe-Silvester, who was also asleep in seperate quarters nearby, was awoken by the screams.
After hearing a commotion coming from the boarding house, he went to investigate, discovering the silhouetted figure of the boy standing in the two boys' room.
The court in Exeter heard how the boy turned around upon hearing the door open, stepping towards the teacher and repeatedly striking him over the head with a hammer.
The jury heard how the schoolboy inflicted six direct blows to the teacher, with another student raising the alarm by calling 999 after hearing the screams of Mr Roffe-Silvester echoed down the boarding house.
The boy is said to have believed there was an intruder, before the two boys were discovered in their beds a few minutes later.
The court heard how the two boys had suffered skull fractures, as well as injuries to their ribs, spleen, a punctured lung and internal bleeding.
Both are now living with the "long-term consequences" of the attack but have no memory of the incident.
The defendant maintained he was sleepwalking at the time of the attacks - meaning he would not be guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity.
However, after 40 hours of deliberations, the jury instead chose to find the schoolboy guilty of three counts of attempted murder.
Speaking during sentencing, the judge said: "You planned your offences and used hammers you had bought as weapons.
"You knew full well if you hit the boys multiple times with the hammers they would die.
"You are an intelligent boy, and I am satisfied you knew the difference between right and wrong.
"I accept that in prison things will be difficult for you.
"In my view there remains a significant risk that you could behave in this way again.
"I consider that you pose a high level of danger to the public because of the nature of your offences.
"A life sentence remains the sentence of last resort. However, in my view, a life sentence is required in your case because it is impossible to say how long you will remain a danger."
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Dave Egan said: "This was an unprovoked attack on two schoolboys as they slept in their beds. The assaults were both brutal and savage and I have no doubt that his intent was to kill.
"Our detectives worked tirelessly to prove that the offender had indeed been fully conscious when committing this horrendous attack, which had been months in the planning."
The family of one of the teenagers said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have assisted in our son's recovery - from the school community to the paramedics and the doctors and surgeons who gave outstanding care whilst he was in hospital. We are eternally grateful for your interventions.
"The police and the prosecution team have helped us navigate this horrific case with the utmost professionalism and compassion.
"Their thoroughness and attention to detail in the investigation has been truly impressive. We are indebted to everyone involved and would like to convey our sincerest thanks."
The family of the other boy said: "I am pleased with the way the investigation has been handled by both the police and the prosecution team.
"I am looking forward to my family moving on now that the trial is over, and I hope my son will continue his recovery and have a good future ahead."
