Hammer attack teen was not sleepwalking - expert

An expert says evidence he heard about the attack at Blundells School "points away" from sleepwalking

A sleep expert says he does not believe a school pupil who attacked two sleeping students and a teacher with a hammer in Devon was sleepwalking at the time, a jury has heard.

Dr John O'Reilly, a consultant in sleep medicine, told Exeter Crown Court "everything points away from sleepwalking".

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with the attempted murder of the two students and his housemaster at Blundell's School in Tiverton last year.

The pupil, aged 16 at the time, denies the charges.

Dr O'Reilly said the defendant claimed he had been asleep for 40 minutes before the attacks on his two teenage roommates in their dorm.

He added one of the students had tried to fight him before he struck him.

The defendant also said that he had been dreaming at the time of the attacks with two claw hammers and after the assaults he said he was going to prison.

The expert said those comments were not consistent with someone sleepwalking.

The court heard both young victims snored, but that did not affect the defendant in the shared room.

Actions 'researched'

He told Exeter Crown Court: "He was not sleepwalking. He undertook actions which he had researched before the episode."

Dr O'Reilly said the defendant had carried out internet searches on hammers, spree killers and murders.

The boy denies three counts of attempted murder.

The trial continues.