Trial of alleged Bonnyrigg High School stabber delayed due to HSC exams
THE trial of a teenager who allegedly went on a knife-wielding rampage that hospitalised a teacher and two classmates at a Sydney high school has been vacated to allow student witnesses to complete their HSC.
NSW
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THE trial of a teenager who allegedly went on a knife-wielding rampage that hospitalised a teacher and two classmates at a Sydney high school has been vacated to allow student witnesses to complete their HSC.
Last February the then 16-year-old boy allegedly walked into a science class at Bonnyrigg High School and stabbed teacher Carolyn Cox in the back, a 16-year-old boy in the chest and a 15-year-old girl in the shoulder.
The now 17-year-old was due to face a three-week trial later this month but a judge has pushed it back to March 2019 following an application from the Crown.
“All the primary witnesses are in Year 12 and will be sitting the HSC,” prosecutor Sara Gul told Parramatta Children’s Court on Thursday.
The school’s principal Michael Bryce believes going ahead with the current trial date would have a “catastrophic effect” on the studies of about 30 pupils who witnessed the alleged stabbing spree, the court heard.
Defence barrister Nancy Mikhaiel said her client, who has been refused bail, will sit his final October and November exams while behind bars.
The teen’s lawyer said the only expected trial issue will be whether he intended to kill Ms Cox when he allegedly knifed her in the back.
“There’s no issue that he committed physical acts,” Ms Mikhaiel said.
“We are not raising mental health as a defence.”
The boy has been charged with wounding with intent to murder and two counts of wound with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He’s also been charged with use offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Students were sitting in class waiting for morning roll call just before the 9am bell rang on February 2, 2017, when the boy allegedly began the frenzied assault which prompted an entire school lockdown.
He was arrested at a nearby shopping centre carrying a backpack which allegedly contained other blades including a box cutter, meat cleaver, scissors and screwdrivers.
Police claim the then 48-year-old teacher was hurt when she tried to protect one of the young victims and the trio was taken to hospital with non-life threatening stab wounds..
