Teens 'plotted Columbine-style attack' at North Yorkshire school

The prosecution argues the boys planned to recreate an American high school shooting

Two boys plotted to kill fellow pupils and teachers after becoming obsessed with a school shooting in the US, a court heard.

Prosecutors allege the pair "hero-worshipped" two students who killed 12 pupils and a teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999.

The boys, both 15, deny conspiracy to murder and other offences.

They allegedly planned the attack at a school in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, Leeds Crown Court heard.

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The Columbine massacre was carried out by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who then committed suicide.

Prosecutor Paul Greaney QC said: "Eighteen years after the Columbine massacre and nearly 4,500 miles away, two young teenagers in North Yorkshire became fascinated with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.

"Those two teenagers researched and discussed those killers and their interest in them turned to hero worship."

'Deploy explosives'

He said this was the background that led the then 14-year-olds to plot their own attack at the school, which cannot be named.

"In that attack, they intended to shoot and kill other pupils and teachers against whom they held a grievance," Mr Greaney added.

"They also, like their heroes, intended to deploy explosives and researched bombing-making techniques to that end."

Mr Greaney said the "hideout" of one of the boys, described as the apparent leader, was found in an abandoned shack and contained materials, including petrol and a bag of screws, that were capable of being used in bomb-making.

He said this showed the boys' plan was not a fantasy.

He told the jury that both defendants had downloaded a bomb-making manual from the internet within minutes of each other and one of the boys had kept a diary with "significant and disturbing content".

"Even the diary that has been recovered demonstrates that murderous intentions were real," Mr Greaney said.

Mr Greaney also revealed a conversation between the two boys on an instant messaging platform in May 2017:

"Boy 1: 'I can't be bothered anymore.'

"Boy 2 (the alleged leader): 'Why not take some others out as well?'

"Boy 1: 'What do you mean?'

"Boy 2: 'If you're gonna kill yourself, shoot up the school."'

He said the boys - who cannot be identified because of their ages - were stopped before they could put the plan into action.

Both defendants deny a joint charge of conspiracy to murder between 31 December 2016 and 29 October last year.

They also deny a charge of intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence and a charge of encouraging or assisting an offence believing it would be committed.

One of the boys is also charged with one offence of the unlawful wounding of a teenage girl and another of aggravated burglary, which he denies.

The trial continues.