A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a horrifying hammer attack on two schoolboys and a teacher at a Devon boarding school.

The offender denied three counts of attempted murder – claiming he had been sleepwalking – but was found guilty by a jury following a 10-week trial at Exeter Crown Court.  

He had been a pupil at Blundell’s School in Tiverton when he launched his ferocious attack on two dormmates, aged 15 and 16, as they slept in their beds on June 9, 2023.

The court heard that at around 12.50am, the teenager, who was 16 at the time, armed himself with one or more claw hammers and quietly climbed up onto the first victim’s cabin bed.

With the victim still asleep, the offender smashed a hammer down onto his head multiple times, breaking his skull in several places.

He then rained down further blows onto the victim’s back, damaging his spleen, one of his lungs and his ribs.

The attacker then climbed up onto the second victim’s bed and hit him repeatedly over the head, fracturing his skull in multiple places.

Housemaster Henry Roffe-Silvester, who was asleep in his own quarters, was awoken by noises coming from the dormitory and went to investigate.

He found the room in darkness and could make out the silhouette of the offender who immediately turned and struck the housemaster over the head with a hammer.

Mr Roffe-Silvester retreated down the corridor and was hit repeatedly before he managed to disarm the offender.

Several pupils were woken by the commotion and came to the aid of the victims before an ambulance was called.

Emergency services arrived at the scene within minutes and provided life-saving care to the two teenage victims, who were both rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

The court heard that they both survived due to the prompt arrival of astonishingly professional paramedics and the skilful work of the doctors and surgeons.

One of the boys remained in hospital for a number of months and underwent significant rehabilitation and now suffers from life-changing cognitive impairment.

The offender was arrested at the scene and was later charged with attempted murder.

He told police under interview that he accepted carrying out the attacks - but denied attempted murder, claiming that he had been sleepwalking after watching horror films.

He also said he kept hammers as he feared a “zombie apocalypse”.

Jurors heard from several sleep experts who offered clinical advice on the likelihood of the offender being able to carry out such an attack while being in a state of sleep.

Detectives from Devon and Cornwall Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team spent months piecing the case together and trawling through the offender’s digital devices.

The investigation uncovered numerous internet searches where the offender had researched questions such as, “what happens if you hit someone on the head with a hammer?” He had also researched attacking people in their sleep.

In the months before the attack, he had searched for information about child serial killers and searched for “rampage killers” and “school massacres” and whether young people went to prison.

One of the teenage victims told the court that he and the offender had been friends before the boy began acting horribly towards him.

The attacker would smash up his possessions with hammers and would use a staple gun to fasten his things to a table. The offender also sent disturbing images from the film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” to the victim and another picture showing an exposed brain.

James Dawes KC, prosecuting, told the jury that an examination of the offender’s iPad revealed he had been listening to music moments before launching the assaults. The court heard this proved that he had not fallen into a deep sleep but had instead been fully conscious.

“These are deliberate actions and he rained blows down on their unprotected sleeping heads with heavy hammers,” said Mr Dawes.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Dave Egan said: “This was an unprovoked attack on two schoolboys as they slept in their beds. The assaults were both brutal and savage and I have no doubt that his intent was to kill.

“After being arrested, the offender denied having any conscious knowledge of the attack. At court he claimed that he had been sleepwalking, a defence which was proven to be untrue.

“Our detectives worked tirelessly to prove that the offender had indeed been fully conscious when committing this horrendous attack - which had been months in the planning.

“This incident has had a lasting effect not only on the victims and their families, but on the whole school community and all those who were present that night.

“I want to thank the victims and their families for their continuous support throughout this trial and to the fellow pupils and paramedics who were present on the night of the attack and offered life-saving assistance to the casualties.

“I hope that the conclusion of the case allows the victims and their families space to move on in their young lives as they work to put these horrific events behind them.

“I would like to extend my thanks to the investigation and prosecution teams for their dedication to this case and for bringing the offender to justice today.”

LIFE SENTENCE

The boy was given the life sentence at Exeter Crown Court on Friday, October 18.

The sentence stipulates a minimum of 12 years before eligibility for parole and is minus 495 days already spent in custody.

Previously he denied three counts of attempted murder but was found guilty by a jury in June following a 10-week trial at Exeter Crown Court.

The 16-year-old victim’s family said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have assisted in our son’s recovery - from the school community to the paramedics and the doctors and surgeons who gave outstanding care whilst he was in hospital. We are eternally grateful for your interventions.

“The Police and the Prosecution team have helped us navigate this horrific case with the utmost professionalism and compassion. Their thoroughness and attention to detail in the investigation has been truly impressive. We are indebted to everyone involved and would like to convey our sincerest thanks.”

The 17-year-old victim’s family said: “I am pleased with the way the investigation has been handled by both the police and the Prosecution team.

“I am looking forward to my family moving on now that the trial is over, and I hope my son will continue his recovery and have a good future ahead.”