'Impossible to say how long Blundell's attacker will remain a danger'

Mrs Justice Cutts said the unnamed teenager was 'dangerous' and 'knew full well' what he was doing

A judge has said that only a life sentence in jail could protect the public from a teenager who brutally attacked three people with a hammer. The 17-year-old boy was handed the sentence today (Friday, October 17) at Exeter Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of attempting to murder two fellow schoolboys and a teacher at Blundell's School last year.

The teenager admitted assaulting the two boys and the housemaster at the Tiverton boarding school but claimed he was sleepwalking. Exeter Crown Court heard the youth, who cannot be identified due to his age, had armed himself with three claw hammers and waited for the two boys to be asleep before attacking them.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 12 years after a jury found him guilty of attempted murder. 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. “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.”

The teenager carried out the attack on two of his dormmates while they were still asleep in bed, nearly killing them in the process. The defendant climbed up and hit them repeatedly over the head with a hammer, breaking one boy's skull in several places and damaging his spleen, one of his lungs and his ribs. He continued his vicious attack, hitting the second boy in the head, similarly breaking his skull.

Housemaster Henry Roffe-Silvester, who was asleep in his own quarters, was awoken by noises coming from the boarding house and went to investigate. When he entered the bedroom where the attack had happened, he saw a silhouetted figure standing in the room, who then turned towards him and repeatedly struck him over the head with a hammer.

Mr Roffe-Silvester retreated down the corridor before he managed to disarm the offender. Mr Roffe-Silvester suffered six blows to his head.

The boy admitted carrying out the attacks but denied attempted murder, claiming he was sleepwalking, but was found guilty by a jury back in June.

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.”

Bart Wielenga, the head of Blundell’s School, said in a statement: “We will continue to make counselling available to any staff or pupils who feel in need of additional support.

“I have been very clear with the pupils that this is not an incident we whisper about or have to be ashamed of. It is part of our narrative, our shared story. We are allowed to talk about it openly and we can express our emotions safely.

“I would like to record my thanks, too, to the emergency services who arrived on the scene so quickly and who handled a difficult situation with such compassion and expertise. The surgeons who treated the boys in the immediate aftermath were heroic and the care the boys received has been excellent.”

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.”