Boy convicted after school stabbing

A police officer has commended the courage and resilience shown by everybody involved after a teenage boy was convicted of attempted murder after stabbing a fellow pupil at his Thorpe school.

Detective Inspector Kerrie Atkin, of Norfolk Police, said: “This was a deeply shocking and deliberate attack which caused significant distress to the victim, her family, fellow pupils and the wider school community.

“Thanks to the swift response of school staff, emergency services and attending officers, the suspect was quickly identified and arrested, and vital evidence was secured.

“The jury’s verdict reflects the strength of the evidence gathered during a thorough and complex investigation. We hope the outcome provides the victim and everyone affected with a sense of justice, and we commend the courage and resilience shown throughout these proceedings.”

A King’s Lynn Crown Court jury took just under four hours to deliver a unanimous guilty verdict. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had previously pleaded guilty to GBH with intent and possession of a bladed article.

The court heard that a 15-year-old girl was stabbed in the back whilst in the toilets at Thorpe St Andrew School. Police were called by the ambulance service at 10.24am on the morning of March 11, following reports that a student had been stabbed and the suspect had fled the school grounds. The school entered an immediate lockdown.

The victim sustained a stab wound to her back and was taken to hospital for treatment. She was discharged the following day.

Armed officers were deployed to the scene and, following an initial review of CCTV footage, identified a male suspect dressed entirely in black and wearing a balaclava. Officers then carried out extensive searches of the school grounds and surrounding area.

At 11.32am, the boy was found by officers in the local area. On arrest, he was wearing an identical outfit to that of the suspect seen on CCTV. His rucksack was searched by officers and found to contain a black balaclava, black hat, black jacket and black glove. His rucksack also contained a notebook, detailing his plans for the attack, including names of potential victims.

Whilst being arrested, he told officers where he had disposed of the knife used in the attack.

The boy, who was 15 at the time of the offence, was later charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article, namely a knife. He was remanded into custody.

The boy, now 16, is due to be sentenced on December 18.