Leeds Teen "Responsible" For Killing Teacher

11 July 2014, 12:54 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Lawyers for a teenager charged with murdering a Leeds teacher have told a court he accepts responsibility for her death.

The teenager appeared on two video screens in the packed courtroom but did not enter a formal plea.

He was wearing a red T-shirt with blue trousers and spoke briefly to confirm his name and that he understood what was happening.

Members of Mrs Maguire's family watched the proceedings from the public gallery.

The defence lawyer, prosecutor, and Judge Peter Collier QC, all sat in court without their normal robes.

The court heard that expert psychiatric reports would now be prepared before the trial.

The boy's defence lawyer said: "The defendant accepts that he unlawfully killed Ann Maguire.

"The issue in the case will be whether or not a partial defence is available to him.''

Prosecuting, Paul Greaney QC said:

"It does not amount to an admission he is guilty of murder. It does amount to an admission he's guilty of manslaughter.''

Both the judge and Mr Greaney asked the public to be extremely careful about using social media to discuss this case and stressed there could be heavy penalties for naming the defendant or other details about the case ahead of the trial.

Mrs Maguire's death was the first time a teacher has been stabbed to death in a British classroom and the first killing of a teacher in a school since the 1996 Dunblane massacre.

She first went to Corpus Christi as a student teacher and last year the school held a celebration of her 40 years of service.

This year, she had moved to working four days a week ahead of her planned retirement.

Mrs Maguire, who was head of Year 11 at the school for more than 10 years, lived in the Moortown area of Leeds with her husband, Don, who is a former maths teacher and landscape gardener.

The teenager was told he will appear again for a hearing on September 26. He was remanded in custody.

A trial date's been fixed for November 3rd 2014.