Jonty Bravery, the Tate Modern attacker who threw a six-year-old boy from the attraction’s viewing platform, has been jailed for at least fifteen years.
Bravery’s attack left the victim, a little boy who had been on a family holiday from France, with life-changing injuries in August last year.
The boy will need constant care at least until 2022 as a result of the “catastrophic” injuries sustained in the fall.
Bravery, aged 18, “intended to kill someone that day,” said Mrs Justice McGowan in her sentencing remarks.
“You went to the 10th floor of the Tate Modern,” she told the teenager.
“Once there, you went to the viewing platform, looked around and spotted the victim and his family.
“You went towards them took hold of M and threw him over the railing. He fell 100’ and suffered catastrophic injuries.
“The fear he must have experienced and the horror that his parents felt are beyond imagination.”
An Old Bailey trial had heard how Bravery had researched the attack, attempting to gain entrance to The Shard on the day, only being deterred by the entrance price.
Relatedarticles
He then asked a member of the public of other tall buildings in the area.
The court also heard how the teenager had a desire “to be on TV” as a result of the attempted murder.
“You planned this, you worked out which buildings you might try, based on height and cost of admission and you appear to have revelled in the notoriety,” added Mrs Justice McGowan.
Bravery may never be released after the horrific crime, after being given a minimum term of fifteen years.
At the time of the attack, the severely autistic teen had been under the care of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, living in supported accommodation in Northolt.
The judge said his autism did not explain his offending.
A serious case review to establish if any failings contributed to Bravery’s offence is to report later this year.
The victim’s parents said last month that their “little knight” continued to slowly recover from the injuries.
He can only walk a few metres unaided, and play with his toys sitting down.
“There is still a long way to go but we are holding on, even confined and masked,” they said from the hospital in France.
