Teenager denies attempted wounding of teacher at Tewkesbury school

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A 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing a maths teacher at a Gloucestershire school has denied attempted wounding with intent but admitted possession of a bladed article.

The teenager, who appeared before a district judge in Cheltenham on Wednesday, was remanded in youth detention until another preliminary hearing later this month.

Flanked by two custody officers, the boy spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth as his parents sat at the back of the court.

Tewkesbury academy, on the outskirts of the abbey town, was locked down for five hours on Monday after the alleged attack on a teacher, Jamie Sansom.

Sadie Waits, prosecuting, asked for the case to be sent to the crown court because of the seriousness of the allegations. “This is quite likely to be quite a complex matter,” she said. “The situation is a little unusual in the way the offence has been carried out.”

The district judge, Nicholas Wattam, rejected the application and said the case would remain in the youth court at this stage. He said a further hearing would take place on 21 July, when a trial date was likely to be fixed.

The judge rejected a bail application on behalf of the defendant and remanded him into secure accommodation.

Addressing the boy, the judge said: “You will be back on court on 21 July and the court will consider this case again.”

Sansom suffered a single stab wound during the alleged attack. As well as the academy being locked down, two neighbouring schools were also asked to shut their doors as a “precaution”.

Sansom, who has taught at the school since 2017, was discharged from hospital on Monday evening and said he was “recovering well” and hoped to be back in the classroom before the summer break.