A 15-year-old boy has appeared in court facing charges of attempting to murder a teenage girl who was stabbed in the back at a secondary school close to Norwich.
The defendant, dressed in a dark jumper and tracksuit bottoms, was seen in the secure dock at Norwich Magistrates’ Court alongside three security officers.
During the court appearance, the defendant confirmed his personal details but did not enter any pleas for the allegations of attempted murder and possession of a knife on school premises.
According to Prosecutor Josephine Jones, both the defendant and the girl he allegedly attacked are 15-year-old students at Thorpe St Andrew School. She mentioned that multiple emergency calls were made on the day of the incident, leading to the school being put on lockdown and armed police being dispatched.
CCTV footage from the school’s toilet area reportedly shows a male in all black clothing and a black mask carrying a large-bladed carving knife. The victim was found with a stab wound to her back.
After the attack, the defendant fled but was later apprehended by nearby police officers.
District Judge Matthew Bone imposed reporting restrictions to prevent the publication of the names of the defendant and the girl involved. The defendant was remanded to youth detention accommodation, with the next court hearing scheduled for April 10 at Norwich Crown Court.
During the court proceedings, the defendant’s father sat near him in the courtroom and was visibly emotional, wiping tears and accepting a box of tissues.
Authorities responded to the incident at Thorpe St Andrew School on Wednesday morning, where the teenage girl had been injured. She was treated at a hospital for minor injuries and has since been released.
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