Teen Expelled Hours Before Fatal Stabbing, Court Hears
A 16-year-old boy accused of fatally stabbing nine-year-old Aria Thorpe was expelled from school just hours before her death, a court has been told.
Aria died from a single stab wound to the chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare on 15 December last year.
The defendant, whose name is withheld due to his age, is currently on trial at Bristol Crown Court charged with murder and manslaughter, charges he denies.
School Behaviour and Expulsion
The court heard the teenager frequently faced disciplinary issues for disruptive behaviour, though teachers noted he was "trying hard" in the week prior to his exclusion.
In a statement, the defendant's mother said she received a call from the school on the day of Aria's death informing her that they had decided the boy would no longer attend.
"They would contact another school to put something in place," she said.
She expressed feelings of anger, stating,
"I felt angry, the week before I was told he was trying hard,"
Jurors heard she had confiscated his phone and told him,
"I'm so disappointed with you."
Despite this, she observed no significant change in his behaviour and noted he appeared calm.
Family Statements on Behaviour and Future Plans
The defendant's grandfather described the boy as sometimes "back chat[ging]" his mother but was unaware of any physical altercations.
"We were exploring him [the defendant] joining the Navy," he said in a statement.
"He's not academic, he did silly impulsive things at school without thinking,"
"I tried to get him into rugby, but he thought it was too aggressive,"
he added.
Discovery of the Victim and Emergency Response
Aria was found face down on the floor of her home by Ollie Sheppard, who was temporarily lodging there, shortly after 18:00 GMT.
Emergency services attempted resuscitation but ceased efforts at 18:58.
Mother's Account of the Day
Aria's mother, Victoria Hull, recounted collecting her daughter from an after-school dance class around 16:30. The last time she saw Aria alive, the girl was eating mini-pizzas while watching television in the living room.
"Aria seemed bubbly and happy because she had a good dance class," Hull said.
Hull then left for her evening shift at Pontins, where she worked extra hours for Christmas.
"[Aria] said something like 'see you after work mummy'. I replied 'see you after work, love you',"
she continued.
Noticing missed calls, Hull left work early and arrived home around 19:20 to find police at her residence.
Arrest and Police Interview
The defendant was arrested on board a train at Worle Railway Station just before departure.
During his police interview, the teenager stated,
"I don't know why I did it, it just happened."
The jury was told he became emotional and shook his head when questioned about whether he intended to stab Aria or if he was angry at her.
He recounted that the girl "said my name and fell to the floor" and confirmed she could see the knife as he approached.
He denied checking on her condition or attempting to call for medical help.
When asked why he fled, he said he was "scared" and "shocked."
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