Tate Modern fall: Boy thrown from balcony 'to restart school'

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Tate ModernImage source, PA Media
Image caption,

The French boy was thrown 100ft from the viewing platform

A young boy who suffered life-changing injuries when he was thrown from the Tate Modern viewing platform is due to return to school, his family has said.

The boy, aged six at the time of the 100ft (30m) fall in August 2019, had been visiting London from France.

His family said he will attend two mornings a week after he was "happy to go" during a successful trial.

Jonty Bravery, aged 17 when he threw the boy, was convicted of attempted murder and jailed for 15 years in 2020.

During Bravery's sentencing, the court heard the boy would require round-the-clock care until at least 2022.

The youngster suffered a bleed to the brain and fractures to his spine.

Image source, AFP
Image caption,

The boy was on holiday in London with his parents

In a statement on a fundraising page, external for the boy, his parents said they have been forced to move to a ground floor property due to their son being unable to climb stairs.

They also revealed the progress he was making as they "impatiently await" the new school year.

They said: "He was able to put his feet in the water at the beach and do water activities twice with the rehabilitation therapist who takes care of adapted physical activities.

"On our side, we are currently trying to train him to find back the reflexes to catch a ball with both hands, without too much success for the moment. But our son loves it and he is having a lot of fun. We also continue other exercises that can stimulate his cognitive and motor skills.

"As for walking, he continues to progress, but very slowly and this period is a bit complicated: he seems to be doing well and mastering at times but he can actually fall at any time because he has not found back his balance yet."

More than £275,000 has been raised towards his care.