UK Teen Detained After Axe Attack on Parents Linked to Mental Health and School Bullying
A teenage boy in the UK who launched a violent axe attack on his sleeping parents has been detained in a secure hospital after admitting to attempted murder.
The attack took place at the family’s home in Sussex when the boy was just 15 years old. According to court proceedings at Lewes Crown Court in Brighton, the teen had spent the night watching TV before retrieving a large double-handed axe from the garage. Once his parents had gone to bed, he struck his father multiple times while he slept, leaving him with multiple skull fractures, a brain bleed, and serious defensive injuries.
He then turned the weapon on his mother, inflicting deep wounds to her face, thigh, and arm, and severing part of her ear.
In police interviews, the teenager admitted he had been planning the attack for some time. He believed the axe would be a quick and effective weapon. He said he was overwhelmed by bullying at school and didn’t want to return. He also revealed that he intended to take his own life after the attack to avoid the pain of continuing to live.
A chilling diary entry read in court revealed the depth of his despair:
“I have to kill my parents tonight. There’s no other way. I’ll never get better, things will never change and I don’t have a choice.”
Miraculously, both parents survived after being rushed to hospital. His father suffered six blows to the head and face, including an injury where part of his skull was driven into his brain. His mother sustained several serious lacerations and permanent damage to her ear.
The teenager, now 16, was diagnosed with autism and depressive disorder. During the hearing, he appeared via video link from a secure psychiatric facility. His parents, who continue to support him, were present in court alongside other family members.
Prosecutor Ryan Richter told the court the boy had shared his intention to spare his parents from the grief of his planned suicide by taking their lives first. He described the teen’s long-standing hatred of school and ongoing experiences with bullying.
Justice Justine Thornton KC acknowledged the severity of the mental health crisis the boy had faced. She said it was clear his actions were a result of serious psychiatric illness and ordered that he be detained in a secure hospital for treatment and public safety. She also remarked on the family’s continued love, calling the boy “a kind, thoughtful, and intelligent young man” who had endured significant emotional trauma.
The court also heard that his parents had previously sought professional help for his mental health, though the situation ultimately spiraled out of control.
