A harrowing account has emerged from Exeter Crown Court detailing a vicious attack carried out by a 17-year-old boy on two boarding school students and a teacher at the prestigious Blundell’s private school in Tiverton, Devon. The assailant allegedly perpetrated the assault in the dormitories, wielding hammers with the intent to kill.

The court heard that the defendant, who was 16 at the time of the attack, launched a violent assault on the night of June 9 the previous year. Armed with three claw hammers, he reportedly targeted two sleeping students, ages 16 and 15, brutally smashing their skulls. The victims sustained life-threatening injuries and are expected to endure lasting repercussions, including permanent cognitive impairment.

Additionally, the defendant attacked Henry Roffe-Silvester, a 38-year-old staff member and the housemaster of the dorm. Roffe-Silvester was also hospitalised but was discharged later.

According to the prosecution’s opening statements presented by James Dawes KC, the assailant meticulously planned the attack, waiting for the victims to fall asleep before carrying out his violent intentions. Dawes described the horrifying scene, recounting how the defendant repeatedly struck the victims with the hammers, inflicting grievous wounds and causing extensive bleeding.

Despite the severity of the assault, both students managed to survive due to the swift actions of another student who promptly called emergency services. Medical professionals, commended for their skill, played a crucial role in saving the victims’ lives. However, the court heard that the injuries sustained by the students have resulted in permanent damage, altering their lives irreversibly.

The prosecution asserted that the attack did not end with the students as the assailant continued his assault on Roffe-Silvester when the teacher intervened. Describing the ordeal, Dawes depicted a relentless onslaught, with the defendant targeting Roffe-Silvester with multiple blows to the head, inflicting severe injuries.

Throughout the trial, the defendant has offered varying explanations for his actions, including claims of sleepwalking and references to stress-related issues. Witnesses reported hearing him apologize and express disbelief, attributing his possession of hammers to watching horror movies or preparing for a fictional “zombie apocalypse.

The trial is ongoing as the court seeks to establish the full extent of the defendant’s culpability and motives behind the heinous assault.