02-04-2005, 07:13 PM
Charges dismissed due to mental health
CHARGES against a 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing a fellow student at a Sydney private school have been dismissed because he suffers from the developmental disorder Asperger's syndrome.
The teenager was charged after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed with a serrated-edge kitchen knife at the SCECGS Redlands school on November 19 last year.
The attack took place in the playground of the exclusive co-educational school at Cremorne on Sydney's North Shore.
The victim underwent surgery in hospital for four stab wounds to the back.
A fellow year-eight student, who cannot be identified, was charged with malicious wounding, maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and having custody of a knife in a school.
According to documents tendered to Bidura Children's Court, the boy's mother told police when they interviewed him after the stabbing that he would not understand the questions "due to a mental illness for which he was receiving psychological treatment".
At a hearing last December, the boy's lawyer Teresa O'Sullivan said her client pleaded not guilty to all charges, and she asked for a psychologist's report to be prepared.
Magistrate Paul Mulroney today dismissed the charges against the Mosman teenager – who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism – on mental health grounds.
Mr Mulroney discharged the boy, who turned 15 this week, into his parents' custody on the condition that he continue seeking therapy and assessment for his condition.
People with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty relating to others and often interpret what people say literally, Autism Victoria's Amanda Golding said.
"They don't have an understanding of the give and take, the ebbs and flows, of friendships and interaction with other people," Ms Golding said.
"Because they find everything to do with other people very difficult, they develop their own sets of rules ... about what to do in certain situations."
Ms Golding said Asperger's sufferers could respond aggressively in certain situations but did not intend to harm anyone.
"The behaviour that looks aggressive or violent is simply their response to a situation they don't understand," she said.
"Their responses are more a reflection of how confused and anxious they are, as opposed to being wilfully violent or aggressive."
SCECGS Redlands headmaster Christopher Daunt Watney said the case was complex but the welfare of students was paramount and everything possible would be done to reduce bullying at the school.
Mr Daunt Watney said he would speak to the families of the boys involved in the incident as well as staff "to ensure that we do everything possible to care for those affected, as well as the school community at large".
He said the school's longstanding anti-bullying policy would be developed further.
A leading authority on bullying, psychologist Ken Rigby, spoke to school staff last week and will also survey students to help tackle the issue.
"With his assistance we are conducting a complete review of all that we do," Mr Daunt Watney said.
He declined for reasons of privacy to comment whether the boys involved had returned to the school.
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CHARGES against a 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing a fellow student at a Sydney private school have been dismissed because he suffers from the developmental disorder Asperger's syndrome.
The teenager was charged after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed with a serrated-edge kitchen knife at the SCECGS Redlands school on November 19 last year.
The attack took place in the playground of the exclusive co-educational school at Cremorne on Sydney's North Shore.
The victim underwent surgery in hospital for four stab wounds to the back.
A fellow year-eight student, who cannot be identified, was charged with malicious wounding, maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and having custody of a knife in a school.
According to documents tendered to Bidura Children's Court, the boy's mother told police when they interviewed him after the stabbing that he would not understand the questions "due to a mental illness for which he was receiving psychological treatment".
At a hearing last December, the boy's lawyer Teresa O'Sullivan said her client pleaded not guilty to all charges, and she asked for a psychologist's report to be prepared.
Magistrate Paul Mulroney today dismissed the charges against the Mosman teenager – who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism – on mental health grounds.
Mr Mulroney discharged the boy, who turned 15 this week, into his parents' custody on the condition that he continue seeking therapy and assessment for his condition.
People with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty relating to others and often interpret what people say literally, Autism Victoria's Amanda Golding said.
"They don't have an understanding of the give and take, the ebbs and flows, of friendships and interaction with other people," Ms Golding said.
"Because they find everything to do with other people very difficult, they develop their own sets of rules ... about what to do in certain situations."
Ms Golding said Asperger's sufferers could respond aggressively in certain situations but did not intend to harm anyone.
"The behaviour that looks aggressive or violent is simply their response to a situation they don't understand," she said.
"Their responses are more a reflection of how confused and anxious they are, as opposed to being wilfully violent or aggressive."
SCECGS Redlands headmaster Christopher Daunt Watney said the case was complex but the welfare of students was paramount and everything possible would be done to reduce bullying at the school.
Mr Daunt Watney said he would speak to the families of the boys involved in the incident as well as staff "to ensure that we do everything possible to care for those affected, as well as the school community at large".
He said the school's longstanding anti-bullying policy would be developed further.
A leading authority on bullying, psychologist Ken Rigby, spoke to school staff last week and will also survey students to help tackle the issue.
"With his assistance we are conducting a complete review of all that we do," Mr Daunt Watney said.
He declined for reasons of privacy to comment whether the boys involved had returned to the school.
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