'Murder attempt' teacher remanded

Published on Saturday 11 July 2009 20:00

A SCIENCE teacher has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of one of his students.

Peter Harvey, 49, is accused of attacking 14-year-old Jack Waterhouse at All Saints' Roman Catholic School in Mansfield on Wednesday morning.

Paramedics found the teenager unconscious in a pool of blood at the entrance to a classroom in the school's science block.

He is in a stable condition at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he is being treated for a bleed on the brain and a fractured skull.

Harvey, of Rannoch Drive, Mansfield, spoke only to confirm his name and address during a ten-minute hearing at the town's magistrates' court.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Nottingham Crown Court by videolink on 27 July.

Former pupils arrived at the court with letters of support and good luck cards.

One girl, who wished not to be named, broke down in tears outside the courtroom after seeing her former teacher in the dock.

Another ex-pupil, Joseph Smith, 18, said: "I just wanted to come here today to show support. He was my form tutor and he was a good teacher. It was upsetting to see him in there."

Waterhouse lives in Worksop, 15 miles away, and was described by neighbours as a quiet, well-behaved boy.

Previously, detective superintendent Adrian Pearson had said the incident was out of the ordinary at a school with a good and widespread reputation.

He said: "It's a school where people send their children from a wide catchment area. There have been no similar incidents before."

Headteacher Maureen Cobbet said the school would not comment on the incident, but stated: " Our thoughts and prayers are with Jack Waterhouse, his family and all those who have been affected by this event."