Kesgrave school 'shocked and saddened' by attempted murder shooting

Kesgrave High School community has been left "shocked and saddened" by the attempted murder of one of its pupils. 

The victim was walking to Kesgrave High School in September 2020 when he was shot "calmly" by his 15-year-old friend in the face at close range. 

The now 16-year-old defendant was found guilty of attempted murder and possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life today (Friday, June 25) at Ipswich Crown Court. 

Julia Upton, the headteacher at Kesgrave High School, said: "This incident has shocked and saddened our whole school community.

"We continue to support each other through this difficult time, especially those closely affected."

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to cause the victim of the shooting fear of violence after the shooting at Friends Walk.

Following the shooting witnesses described the defendant as standing near the victim, who was lying in a pool of blood, with “no sense of urgency” and “appeared to have all day”.

A friend of both boys later told police that he had planning the attack for a year but had wrongly assumed he was joking.

Giving evidence during the trial the defendant denied deliberately firing the gun at the victim.

He claimed the victim had subjected him to years of “humiliation and fear” and said he had planned to kidnap him and threaten him with a gun to  teach him a lesson. 

The convicted attempted murderer has not yet been sentenced.