Police arrest boy after shotgun and ammunition taken to secondary school

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Police were called to Higham Lane School in Nuneaton this morning



A teenager has been arrested after a shotgun and ammunition were taken to a Nuneaton school.

Police were called to Higham Lane School in Shanklin Drive at 9.15am today after the youth reported he was in possession of the items.

Officers arrested the teenager on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm.

Supt David Gardner of Warwickshire Police said: “We responded promptly and the boy was quickly isolated and the incident contained to ensure there was no risk to pupils and staff.

“We have seized a shotgun and ammunition.

“The initial report was received from the suspect himself and he was co-operative with police throughout.

“Officers were on the scene quickly and he was placed under arrest.

“I would like to thank staff and pupils at the school for their assistance while we managed this incident.

“Officers will be at the school for the rest of the day to provide reassurance.

“We will now carry out enquiries to establish exactly what happened and address any issues around the firearm.”

Higham Lane School has sent a message out to parents in an attempt to reassure them.

It said: “Some parents/carers may have been made aware of police officers being on the school site this morning.

“Although there was an incident, this message is to reassure you that all students and staff are safe and the matter has been dealt with.

“The police have confirmed that they are happy for the school to remain open.

“The school will not be putting out any further information at this point.”

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Jail for Nuneaton schoolboy who planned mass shooting



A schoolboy who was “seconds away” from carrying out a mass shooting at a Nuneaton school has been jailed for six years.

The youngster had armed himself with a double-barrelled shotgun, 200 rounds of ammunition, a knife and a balaclava as he planned to kill “anybody” he could at Higham Lane School.

A potential massacre was halted when the boy, who cannot be named for legal reason, took the decision to call police himself and confess to his plans.

The judge told the court today: “A moment in time separated the pupils and staff of this school from being the subject of a terrible shooting that would have taken a dreadful place in history of truly wicked crimes committed in this country.”

Warwick Crown Court heard he was suffering from a “social anxiety disorder” and severe depression when he hid the gun down his trousers and then re-assembled it while hidden in a small room at the school which has more than 1,200 pupils.

He was arrested and charged with possession of the shotgun and the ammunition with intent to endanger life, as well as possession of a bladed article, which he pleaded guilty to.

Speaking for the boy, who his deputy headteacher described as a “model pupil”, Delroy Henry urged the judge not to pass a prison sentence.

He said: “He’s a boy. He’s a child.

“Offending by a child is often a phase that passes rapidly.

“A prison sentence would have a detrimental effect on his mental health.”

Mr Henry said it was “significant that the weapon was not brandished to instil fear” in anyone.

He added: “This was a relatively self-contained incident and police were called by him.

“It started because of him and ended because of him. It started because of a loss of good sense - it ended because he saw the good sense.”