Boy accused of shooting a 15-year-old appears in court charged with possessing double-barrel shotgun

Boy, 15, accused of shooting another 15-year-old in the face as he walked to school appears in court charged with possessing double-barrel shotgun

  • Teenager accused of shooting boy was in court charged with attempted murder
  • Suspect was remanded in custody after today’s hearing at Norwich Youth Court
  • Victim, who cannot be named, sustained serious injuries in Kesgrave, Suffolk
  • He was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s, Cambridge, and remains in critical condition

A 15-year-old accused of shooting a boy of the same age as he walked to school appeared in court today charged with possessing a double-barrel shotgun. 

Police were called to reports that a teenager had been shot on the Grange Farm housing estate in Kesgrave, Suffolk, at around 8.40am on Monday.

The 15-year-old victim suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in a critical condition.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Norwich Youth Court today by video-link from a Suffolk police station.  

He is charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm, a 12-gauge Beretta over and under shotgun, with intent to cause fear of injury of another person, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.  

Police were called to reports that a teenager had been shot on the Grange Farm housing estate in Kesgrave, Suffolk, at around 8.40am on Monday 

The 15-year-old victim suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in a critical condition

The 15-year-old victim suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in a critical condition 

His parents were not present for the hearing. The boy sat beside his lawyer, with a social worker at another location acting as his appropriate adult. 

The court heard that the victim, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, was allegedly shot in the face after a confrontation. 

The youth, from the Woodbridge area, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the 20-minute hearing.

He was not asked to enter pleas and was remanded in custody until an appearance before Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday afternoon.

District Judge Shanta Deonarine told the court the attempted murder charge was a ‘grave’ matter, adding: ‘This is an allegation where this was a face to face confrontation, a conversation and a shot to the face area.’ 

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Norwich Youth Court today by video-link from a Suffolk police station. He is charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm, a 12-gauge Beretta over and under shotgun, with intent to cause fear of injury of another person, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Norwich Youth Court today by video-link from a Suffolk police station. He is charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm, a 12-gauge Beretta over and under shotgun, with intent to cause fear of injury of another person, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life 

Suffolk Police said witnesses reported seeing a suspect get into a car after the attack, before the vehicle drove away.

An arrest was made just over two hours after the shooting, at 10.55am on Monday, five miles away in Ipswich. A car was seized at the time of the arrest, from which a long-barrelled firearm was recovered, the force said.

Kesgrave High School said one of its Year 11 students had been involved in a serious incident on the way to school on Monday, but that pupils at the site were safe.

The school said on Twitter on Tuesday: ‘Students have been simply amazing today. Calm and focused in class and clearly glad to be back in school.

‘A very difficult time for the school community but all supporting each other.’