Attempted murder conviction for masked 15-year-old in Norwich school stabbing

A 16-year-old boy has been found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing a fellow pupil at Thorpe St Andrew School near Norwich in March. Notes found by police revealed plans to target multiple victims and a fixation with misogyny and serial killers.

How a masked schoolboy's violent fantasies led to a stabbing at a Norfolk school

A boy who was 15 at the time has been found guilty of attempted murder after attacking a fellow pupil with a kitchen knife at Thorpe St Andrew School, near Norwich, bbc.co.uk reports. The verdict was returned following a trial at King's Lynn Crown Court.

The attack took place on 11 March. Armed police were deployed, the school was placed into lockdown, and parents gathered outside, desperate for information.

Four months of planning

In November — four months before the attack — a kitchen knife went missing from the boy's family home. He told his family he had intended to harm himself and returned it.

Prosecuting counsel Christopher Paxton KC told the court the boy "came from a loving home." His mother described him as "very quiet, very funny, very smart" with a "dry sense of humour", and said the evening before the attack had been "completely normal."

Police searches of his phone told a different story. He had been looking up information on mass shootings and school shootings, police response times to active shooter incidents, and the location of the nearest police station. He had also researched Elliot Rodger, described to jurors as "an early influence on incel and manosphere culture." The term incel — an abbreviation of "involuntarily celibate" — refers to groups of men who believe they are unable to form sexual relationships.

Photographs found on the device showed dark clothing, gloves, a face covering and a notebook.

What the notebooks revealed

Handwritten notes recovered by police set out the boy's intentions in stark terms. One entry listed targets and stated: "I want at least 2 maybe 3. I'd be very proud of 5."

A second read: "Attack on = Thorpe St Andrew. Motive = misanthropy, misogyny, suicide, bullying. Weapon = knife (x2?). Deaths = 2+ hopefully. Injuries = a lot hopefully. Time of start = 10:00am."

A third entry said: "I really wanna do it. Really bad. I hate having to wait. I hate it. But I have to wait."

Notes found after the attack at the family home, inside an Adidas shoebox bearing apparent stab marks, included a list of names under the heading "Victims?" and the phrase "7 plus kills." A note headed "Feelings" read: "What I understand is that I feel little emotions. What little emotions I do feel are negative. Anger, hatred, jealousy, disgust, egotism, obsession." Another stated: "The idea of violence or possibly even murder sparks something in me."

The morning of 11 March

Thorpe St Andrew School sits in a leafy suburb roughly three miles from Norwich city centre. With 1,834 pupils, it is thought to be Norfolk's largest school and held a Good rating at its most recent Ofsted inspection.

The boy arrived at 08:15 GMT on 11 March. Thirty-four minutes later he was in his first lesson. A teacher later described him as appearing typical and completing work as expected.

Shortly after 10:00, he photographed himself making a hand signal. About 12 minutes later, having changed into dark clothing, gloves and a face covering, he was moving through the school corridors.

At approximately 10:20, with lessons in progress, he attacked a 15-year-old girl in front of a witness. The court heard he did not know her. CCTV footage played to jurors showed him using a kitchen knife brought from home, with a blade measuring 18cm.

The victim later told police: "I felt sharp pain shooting through my back. I went like that and it was blood all over my hands." She then told a member of staff: "Sir, I've been stabbed."

A teacher gave chase for around 25 seconds, shouting at the boy to stop, but he got away.

Lockdown and arrest

The school entered lockdown at approximately 10:25. A bell sounded and pupils were instructed to switch off their phones and hide beneath their desks. Images shared with the BBC showed children doing exactly that.

At 10:48, having left the school site, the boy sent a text message to his mother reading: "I'm sorry." When she called, he said "Nothing good" had happened and that he had "hurt someone." Using a phone app, she traced his location and set out with her husband to find him. When two police cars passed them, she called 999, gave officers her son's location, and was advised to return home.

Police arrested the boy shortly afterwards. He directed officers to where the knife had been discarded in a wooded area and was described by officers as co-operative and subdued. The blade measured 18cm and the handle 12cm.

Nearby schools also went into lockdown. Roads around Thorpe St Andrew School were reopened at 14:00, though cordons remained in place for some time.

The victim's injuries

The girl who was stabbed remained in hospital overnight. Medical notes cited in court stated she sustained a 2cm wound to the left of her spine, between 4mm and 1cm deep, with no significant blood loss.

Interview and charges

The boy was taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. Other than confirming his name, he remained silent throughout the interview. He cannot be named owing to his age and is now 16. The jury found him guilty of attempted murder.

Warning: This report contains details some readers may find distressing. If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, the BBC Action Line provides information and support.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)