Boy drew gun on teacher after row with girlfriend

(First Edition)

A LOVESICK schoolboy who stormed into a classroom and held a replica gun to a teacher's head was put on probation and given a community service order yesterday.

Magistrates in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, also ordered that the 16-year-old boy's parents pay pounds 200 compensation to the teacher.

The court was told that the boy, who had had a row with his girlfriend, burst into a history class at a comprehensive school in Sunderland and demanded to see her. When the teacher asked him to leave, he aimed a pistol at his head. The teacher did not know that the gun was a replica.

The boy, from Sunderland, admitted charges of affray and possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit affray.

Michael Rose, for the prosecution, said the boy burst into the class because he wanted his ring back from his 14-year-old girlfriend. 'When the teacher asked him to leave, the youth stood about six inches from him and said, 'What are you going to do about it?'. The teacher feared for his safety, even more so when the boy pulled out a pistol and aimed it at him.'

The boy was ordered to do 100 hours' community service and put on probation for two years.

Afterwards, his father said: 'You can get pistols like the one my son had for pounds 30. If it hadn't been so easy to get one, this wouldn't have happened.'