Teenagers sentenced for hammer attack

1:00pm Friday 9th May 2008

FIVE teenagers have been put behind bars for the horrific hammer attack on Ridgeway schoolboy Henry Webster.

Nazrul Amin, 19, and two teenagers who pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent at the start of the first trial, were all sentenced to time at a young offenders' institution.

Amin, of Broad Street, was given an 18-month sentence by Judge Carol Hagen for his part in the attack, which left Henry with brain damage.

The 15 and 16-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty before the trial started, were both given eight months in a young offenders' institution, where they will undergo a detention and training order.

Two further boys, aged 15 and 16, who were convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent following the first six-week trial, were given 18-month and 12-month detention and training orders, respectively.

Judge Carol Hagen criticised Ridgeway School when sentencing the five young men at Bristol Crown Court today and asked why there was no staff presence in the tennis courts at the end of the school day.

She added it was "a miracle" Henry survived the assault. "What I find little short of astonishing is the fact that not a single member of staff was present in the tennis courts when the bell went," she said.

She went on: "Given the confrontation earlier that day which was known to staff I simply fail to understand why no member of staff was present."

Sentencing has been put back for Wasif Khan, 18 and Amjad Qazi, 19, after the former's arrival in court was delayed.

They will be sentenced later today along with five other youths, who were found guilty of conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm in an additional trial. Another youth will also be sentenced after pleading guilty to violent disorder before the second trial.

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