A teen who took a knife into school in Aberdeenshire has escaped punishment – but received a stern warning from a sheriff.
The 17-year-old boy previously pled guilty to possessing a knife in the secondary school in Aberdeenshire.
The Press and Journal is not allowed to name the teen or the school for legal reasons.
Sentence had previously been deferred for reports, and the boy has now returned to the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to learn his fate.
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told the court the incident happened on December 14 last year when the 17-year-old was spotted handing a Stanley knife to another pupil around 3.40pm.
‘He’s doing well at school’
Senior staff were alerted to the incident and it was reported to the police, who traced, arrested and charged the boy later that evening.
He replied: “I’m sorry.”
Defence agent Peter Keene said his client was just 16 at the time of the offence and had never been in trouble previously.
He said: “He tells me that a young pupil who had been bullied pleaded with him to get a knife.”
Mr Keene said his client eventually gave in and “decided to assist his young friend and get him the knife”.
‘I want you to remember this moment’
The solicitor said the boy had since sought counselling through the school, and that his teacher had “a lot to say favourably” about him.
Mr Keene added: “He’s doing well at school and is on course for highers and would seem to be overcoming his ADHD incapacity.”
The solicitor said the episode was “a potentially serious matter but was nipped in the bud before it got serious at all.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told the teen: “You’re a young man who’s got your whole life ahead of you.
“It’s an extremely favourable report. You’ve taken a number of steps since the commission of the offence to improve your behaviour and reflect on what happened and make positive changes.”
‘I don’t ever want to see you again. Behave yourself’
Sheriff Johnston said she also noted the boy was a first offender and admonished him, meaning the conviction goes on his record but he does not face any further punishment.
However, she added: “I don’t do that lightly, but I consider you’re someone who has made some real changes in effect.
“What I want you to do is remember this moment, coming to court with your family here.
“I don’t ever want to see you again. Behave yourself.”
Following the teen’s guilty plea last month, a spokeswoman for Aberdeenshire Council said: “We have a robust policy and process which all schools must adopt when dealing with any young person in possession of a knife.
“This includes working with Police Scotland and other agencies where appropriate. Safety is our first priority and all necessary steps have been followed in this case.”
This is the latest incident involving a knife at a north-east school since the killing of 16-year-old Bailey Gwynne, who was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil at Cults Academy in 2015.
Just a year after Bailey’s death, a 10-year-old boy brandished a penknife at a classmate in Fraserburgh.
Staff at the school were only alerted when another pupil told their parent about the incident at lunchtime.
Viral video involving knife
And in April 2016, just two months later, a video clip was released showing a 16-year-old outside Turriff Academy with a knife tucked into his trousers.
The video, which appears to show pupils arranging for a fight to take place, was condemned by local councillors at the time.
The teen was subsequently handed a community payback order at court for the offence.
In 2017, a schoolboy brandished a knife during a fight on the grounds of Peterhead Academy.
That situation was only calmed when other students stepped in to restrain him until teachers could arrive.
Primary-age children had blades
In 2018, three separate instances of primary-age children being found with knives were reported.
A five-year-old boy was caught with a blade at another city school a month later, and a nine-year-old boy was charged with allegedly taking a knife to a Fraserburgh school in March 2018.
More recently, police were called in to investigate claims that a pupil had a knife at St Machar Academy in Aberdeen in May 2019.
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