Boy who shot transgender pupil will not face charge

A BOY who shot a transgender girl aged 11 with a ball bearing gun in school is set to escape a criminal charge.

Instead Greater Manchester Police said ‘restorative justice’ would be used, despite the force classing the sickening attack as a hate crime.

The girl is due to come face-to-face with her attacker at a controlled meeting. Representatives of the school and her parents are also expected to attend the formal discussion.

The process is used so victims can ask questions in a bid to rehabilitate offenders through reconciliation.

The M.E.N. told last week how the girl’s mother claimed the gun attack on February 1 was the culmination of a sickening five-month campaign of violent bullying because of her gender.

She said her daughter has been spat at, kicked and verbally abused. In a previous incident before the shooting, she said bullies wrote ‘tranny’ and ‘freak’ and drew lewd images of penises on the cover of one of her exercise books.

The metal ball bearing hit her in the shoulder. She was unhurt.

He’s been expelled and the Catholic school in Greater Manchester has brought in a charity which campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the country to work with and train staff and pupils.

Police said three boys would be involved in the restorative justice meeting.

A spokesman confirmed there’s been no arrests made and said the decision to deal with the issue by restorative justice was taken with the victim, her parents and the school.

Born a boy, the girl’s mother said a transition began two years ago. She has not undergone any surgery but dresses as a girl and has taken a girl’s name. She attends the school involved as a girl and started last September. The M.E.N. isn’t identifying any party involved.

In a statement GMP said: “As part of their enquiries, officers have spoken with the victim, her parents and senior teaching staff at the school. Following these discussions, a decision has been taken to apply restorative justice to three boys.

“Restorative justice helps victims take an active role in the resolution of crimes committed against them and come face-to-face with their offender, allowing them to ask the questions that only the offender can answer. All hate incidents are treated with the upmost seriousness and this behaviour will not be tolerated.”