Tate Modern: Teen who threw boy, 6, from viewing platform pleads guilty to attempted murder

Jonty Bravery, 18, entered his plea during a 12-minute hearing at the Old Bailey in London yesterday. Picture: Handout

Jonty Bravery, 18, entered his plea during a 12-minute hearing at the Old Bailey in London yesterday.

He was remanded in custody by the judge, Mr Justice Edis, ahead of his sentencing in February next year.

Tate Modern Gallery. Picture: Getty Images

The victim, who cannot be named because of his age, continues to recover slowly in his native France after spending months in intensive care.

Writing on a GoFundMe page last month, which has raised around £130,000 for his medical treatment, the boy’s family said he was “now able to venture outside” and had regained some movement in his legs.

Bravery, from west London, was arrested moments after the incident on the tenth-storey balcony of the tourist attraction on 4 August. The teenager, who has autistic spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and was likely to have a personality disorder, has been held at Broadmoor Hospital since mid-October.

The court previously heard how Bravery was seen wandering about the viewing platform before picking up his victim and throwing him over the edge. He then approached a member of staff, explaining: “I think I’ve murdered someone, I’ve just thrown someone off the balcony.”

Bravery said he heard voices tell him he had to hurt or kill people, the court was told.

He later told police he had to prove a point “to every idiot” who said he had no mental health problems, asking police if the incident was going to be on the news.

Bravery said: “I wanted to be on the news, who I am and why I did it, so when it is official no-one can say anything else.”

In a series of social media posts, which have since been deleted, Piers Bravery – father of the defendant – attempted to raise awareness of autism and its treatment.

In one tweet to health secretary Matt Hancock, posted less than three months before the incident, Mr Bravery said: “Yes, @MattHancock, you do have a duty. You are a public servant so do your job and stop more children dying and being abused in these repugnant institutions.”

The court previously heard how Bravery’s mental health deteriorated in custody and he spent some time in segregation.

The public was initially banned from knowing Bravery’s identity due to a reporting restriction protecting the then-17-year-old from being named.

CPS prosecutor Emma Jones said it was “extraordinary” Bravery’s victim survived the fall. She said: “This was a terrifying experience for the boy’s parents.”