'Who wants it next?' Threat by boy, 14, who stabbed his classmate

Published on Thursday 4 June 2009 21:50

A SCHOOLBOY who stabbed a fellow pupil in the back in a secondary school classroom has been sentenced to two years' detention.

After the unprovoked assault, the 14-year-old attacker asked his classmates: "Who wants it next?"

A judge heard yesterday that the attacker later said he felt abandoned by his natural father, who left home before he was born. He was jealous of his victim, who had suffered a similar fate but had learned to cope and be happy.

"It would appear he was trying to deal with his emotions by targeting the person who had become the focus of them," the youth's counsel, Susan Duff, told the High Court in Edinburgh.

Lord Brailsford said it was "a troubling and difficult matter" that someone so young should be involved in such a serious offence, and the public interest demanded a custodial sentence. He ordered that the youth be supervised for a year following his release.

The boy admitted assaulting his classmate, also 14, to his severe injury and the danger of his life on 2 March at their school in Ayrshire. Neither can be identified for legal reasons.

The court heard the accused had taken a knife from his grandmother's home when he went to school that Monday morning.

He appeared agitated to a friend, and was very thirsty and kept asking for a drink. During class, the teacher left the room for a few minutes and the accused took out the knife.

"He was still acting strangely and talking in a strange voice. He turned towards the complainer and stabbed him in the back. He then aimed a slashing blow to his chest," said the advocate-depute, Alex Prentice, QC.

The victim managed to grab the accused, who was laughing, and he shouted for help. He felt his strength draining from him and collapsed to the floor.

The accused held up the knife and said something about "beautiful thing" and asked, "Who wants it next?"

Other pupils, fearing for their safety, retreated to the back of the room. The accused was continually laughing and smiling.

Mr Prentice said a teacher came into the room and ordered the youth to throw down the knife, and he did.

He stated: "I feel so much better, I've never felt better."

The victim's life was in danger and he was treated for a collapsed lung and spent a week in hospital. The accused told police he had been feeling angry for some time, and felt he had to stab someone and maybe that would make him feel better.

"He admitted that, had the teacher not come in, he probably would have used the knife on someone else," said Mr Prentice.

The defence counsel, Susan Duff, said the accused had revealed to a psychiatrist the explanation for the attack.

Mrs Duff said: "He had found himself unable to deal with complex emotions which appear to stem from feelings of abandonment by his biological father leaving before he was born.

"The victim was in a similar position but he was able to deal with the situation in a contended and happy fashion. This caused considerable distress, wondering how the victim could deal with it while he was unable to."