Sunday People

TRANS BOY TOLD TO KILL HIMSELF

Lad, 12, in suicide bid after knife terror by school bullies

- By Amy Sharpe feedback@people.co.uk

A TRANS boy attempted suicide after a schoolmate jabbed him repeatedly with a knife and snarled: “Go kill yourself.”

The 12-year-old – who we are calling Adam to protect his identity – was terrified of returning to class, his mum says.

Police investigat­ed a possible hate crime after Adam, who is in Year 7, revealed the same boy had previously bullied him over his gender identity. The suspect has been allowed to stay at the secondary school in Dorset but mum Ellie has removed Adam for his safety.

Ellie – not her real name – said: “How can a pupil who physically threatened and bullied a child over his gender identity to the point where he tried to commit suicide be allowed to return while the victim has been forced to go elsewhere?

“This school claims any students found with weapons will be expelled and purports to celebrate diversity. They’ve broken their own policies.”

Adam, who is autistic, was born a girl but has publicly identified as male since last September when he joined the school.

He was cornered by three older Year 9 boys on school premises on March 18.

Ellie said: “The main perpetrato­r brandished a butter knife from his blazer and stabbed at Adam several times with it and told him to ‘go kill yourself’.” On March 28 – Mothers’ Day – Ellie went into her son’s bedroom and found his attempt. Paramedics arrived and calmed him down.

Dorset Police said Adam was not injured in the school incident but officers spoke to two pupils about knife crime.

Dorset Council said: “We work closely with police and headteache­rs to ensure all children are safe in their schools.”

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