Teenager armed with Rambo knife scaled Black Country school fence to stab pupil
A teenager armed with a Rambo knife scaled a fence at a Black Country school where he stabbed a 15-year-old pupil.
The 17-year-old confronted the schoolboy over claims his younger brother was being bullied by the victim, Wolverhampton Crown Court sitting at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.
He stabbed the boy in the left armpit and left thigh during the attack which happened at about 2.30pm on January 31.
The defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, admitted wounding with intent at a previous hearing at the youth court.
District Judge Ian Strongman said the youth's actions, captured by the school's closed circuit television system, were "immature and foolish".
"I am prepared to accept that he thought his brother was being bulled, but one interpretation is that he was taking revenge. He was not provoked and he took with him a particularly dangerous knife.
"It seems to me that he was fortunate in that the injuries he caused were not more severe," Mr Strongman said.
Prosecuting barrister Mr John Brotherton said the incident happened at the end of the school day and played the 14-second footage to the court during the hearing on Friday. He said the victim was waiting for friends when he saw the defendant approaching from a field.
"The defendant jumped over metal railings. He was wearing black clothing and a balaclava - the complainant recognised him as someone who used to go to the school and was a few years older than him.
"He was wearing military-style gloves and and had a 10-inch Rambo knife. The complainant thought he was going to be stabbed and ran towards the school. He attempted to be buzzed in. He didn't get access. He was backed into a corner and the defendant, who seemed aggressive, lunged at him," Mr Brotherton said.
He said at that point a teacher came outside and the victim ran towards the field, but then realised that he had been stabbed. An ambulance was called and he was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital where he received surgery to his leg.
Miss Queenie Djan, defending, said the youth had shown "a lack of understanding", and asked the judge take his age and lack of previous convictions into account when sentencing him.
The district judge sentenced the window fitter to 28 months in a youth offenders' institute. He must serve half before being released on licence. The case is subject to reporting restrictions preventing the identification of the youths involved and the school.
