16-year-old student admits killing school teacher Ann Maguire

A 16-year-old accused of murdering teacher Ann Maguire appeared in a video link where he admitted the crime.

12:23 11 July 2014

The 16-year-old accused of killing teacher Ann Maguire in a Leeds classroom has appeared in court via video link accepting responsibility for the crime. However he did not enter a plea at this stage.

Wearing an orange T-shirt and blue trousers, he confirmed his name and said that he understood what was happening as his family looked on.

Defence QC Richard Wright told Leeds Crown Court: "He accepts responsibility for unlawful killing. He is not entering a plea. He does accept manslaughter.

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

The boy was remanded in custody until the pre-trial hearing on September 28. Meanwhile, trial is expected to start on November 03 after psychiatric reports are submitted to court.

Among those who were in court was Mrs Maguire’s family.

Mrs Maguire was fatally stabbed at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Halton Moor, Leeds, on April 28. She became the first teacher killed in a British school since the 1996 Dunblane massacre.

Just prior to her death, she had celebrated her 40 years of service and moved to a four-day week ahead of her planned retirement. She lived in the Moortown area of Leeds with her husband, Don.