Blundell's trial: Clawed hammers pupil wielded were 'tools, not weapons', school head says
The head of a private boarding school in Devon, where a pupil attacked two peers and a housemaster with hammers, has responded to his conviction at Exeter Crown Court.
A 17-year-old has been found guilty on three counts of attempted murder in connection to an incident at Blundell's School in Tiverton.
The school's head, Bart Wielenga, wrote a letter to the school community following the verdict on Friday 21 June.
In it, he said: "I want to reiterate that they were tools and not weapons (many items could be used as weapons) and that locked drawers are part of the ‘National Minimum Standards that boarding schools must meet in order to safeguard and protect children in their care’.
"It is a regulatory requirement to give pupils a lockable facility."
The full letter said: "Dear Blundell’s Community, The trial ended today with Guilty verdicts on all three counts of attempted murder and I wanted to write to you with our immediate response.
"It concludes a challenging year and I hope that this outcome will bring a degree of closure for all those involved.
"I remain tremendously proud of our school community and its response to circumstances that have been profoundly shocking and entirely unprecedented.
"No school would ever wish something like this, but the conduct of pupils, staff, parents and the wider Blundell’s community throughout the past year has only been encouraging and reassuring. We have much to be grateful for.
"The trial highlighted the remarkable actions of the boys in [the house]. I also want to commend Mr. and Mrs. Roffe-Silvester not only for their actions on the night of the incident but also for their ongoing leadership in the ensuing months.
"Their efforts, and those of several senior pupils, combined with the swift response of the emergency services and the exceptional skill of the surgeons, undoubtedly saved the boys' lives.
"You may have read the press reports on the trial referring to weapons and locked drawers.
"I want to reiterate that they were tools and not weapons (many items could be used as weapons) and that locked drawers are part of the ‘National Minimum Standards that boarding schools must meet in order to safeguard and protect children in their care’.
"It is a regulatory requirement to give pupils a lockable facility.
"We continue to be thankful for the remarkable recovery made by all the victims and those affected by the event.
"We are mindful that the psychological wounds sometimes take longer to heal than the physical ones, and we will continue to exercise vigilance and care in supporting all the staff and pupils directly or indirectly involved.
"I have stressed to pupils in numerous assemblies over the past year that this incident is not something that we are ashamed of. It is part of our shared story. Difficult things happen in life, and we want to teach young people that we can talk openly about our fears and anxieties as they relate to difficult events in life.
"We will continue to foster a sensitive, balanced, honest, and courageous response to this tragic event. Yours faithfully, Bart Wielenga."