Public Schoolboy Found Guilty of Hammer Attacks on Pupils and Teacher
A 17-year-old public schoolboy who claimed he was sleepwalking when he attacked two students and a teacher with hammers has been found guilty of their attempted murder.
Night of Horror at Blundell’s School
The terrifying attack happened last June at Blundell’s School in tiverton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiverton. The teen, unnamed for legal reasons, was dressed only in his boxer shorts. He repeatedly struck his dorm mates as they slept in their cabin-style beds in the boarding house.
Both boys suffered serious injuries, including skull fractures, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and internal bleeding. Prosecutors said they were “lucky to still be alive.”
Teacher Also Brutally Attacked
Maths teacher Henry Roffe-Silvester was woken by noise from the boarding house. When he confronted the shadowy figure of the teen, he was struck six times on the head with a hammer.
Sleepwalking or Sinister Intent?
The teenager admitted to the attacks but insisted he was sleepwalking, denying three attempted murder charges on insanity grounds. However, court heard he was obsessed with the killing of children and hammers, which he kept by his bed for “protection” against a so-called “zombie apocalypse.”
Prosecutors revealed the boy armed himself with three claw hammers and waited for the victims to fall asleep before launching his savage attack.
Long Trial Ends with Guilty Verdict
After more than 40 hours of jury deliberation during a two-month trial at Exeter Crown Court, the teen was found guilty of three counts of attempted murder last Friday.
Sentencing has been adjourned until 18 October by Trial Judge Mrs Justice Cutts.
