Kesgrave shooting trial: Accused 'smiled when arrested'

The defendant was arrested in Ipswich, five miles away from the scene of the shooting in Grange Farm, Kesgrave

A teenager accused of blasting a boy in the face with a shotgun as he walked to school smiled as he was arrested, a court heard.

A 15-year-old boy was injured in Kesgrave, near Ipswich, on September 7, as his school fully reopened following the first national Covid-19 lockdown.

A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, denies attempted murder and four other charges at Ipswich Crown Court.

The court heard the accused told armed police the situation was "exciting".

PC Paul Sullivan, one of the officers who arrested him, said in a statement read to the court by prosecution barrister Matthew Sorel-Cameron that a silver car had been spotted with a boy in the driver's seat.

It was parked in Ipswich, five miles from the scene of the shooting.

The court heard a friend of the defendant told police the victim had been dominant over the defendant

In a series of statements, armed officers described pointing their assault rifles at the suspect and ordering him to raise his hands.

They tried to open the car doors, but finding them locked, they smashed its windows, raised the door plunger and dragged the defendant from the vehicle, arresting him on suspicion of attempted murder.

"He replied 'Yeah, I'm 100% guilty of that'," said PC Sullivan, adding the boy had "appeared to be smiling".

He said the boy told officers: "I've done what I wanted to do, as scummy as it is."

When reminded he was under police caution, the boy said "I know, but it's exciting isn't it?", said PC Sullivan.

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Officers described seeing a shotgun partially covered by clothing on the back seat of the car.

In a separate statement, PC David Carter, from the police dog unit, said: "(The defendant) said 'yes, the gun's on the back seat, it was me, I did it'."

He said the defendant also told officers: "It's OK, you are doing your job."

A boy, who was friends with the defendant, said the accused had a "really complicated relationship" with the injured boy.

In a police interview played to jurors, he said the injured boy had "always been dominant" over the defendant.

He said the pair would be "playing, fighting" and the injured boy would "hit (the defendant) randomly for no reason".

The trial continues.