Devon, November 3: Thomas Wei Huang, a Malaysian teenager studying in the Uk, has been sentenced to life in prison for attempting to murder three people at Blundell's School, an independent boarding school in Devon, England. The court set a minimum term of 12 years before Huang, now 17, can apply for parole. His identity was publicly revealed on November 1 after the court lifted a prior gag order.

On June 9, 2023, Huang, then 16, launched an early-morning attack on two classmates, ages 15 and 16, using claw hammers while they slept, reported The Guardian. Both victims sustained severe injuries, including skull fractures, rib and spleen injuries, a punctured lung, and internal bleeding. One of the boys has suffered permanent brain damage as a result. Huang then attacked his housemaster, Henry Roffe-Silvester, inflicting six blows to the head. Roffe-Silvester has since made a full recovery. UK Shocker: Pregnant Woman Pushed Off Bench by 2 Schoolboys at Bus Stop Suffers Miscarriage.

During the trial, Huang claimed he kept hammers under his pillow as a form of protection against a "zombie apocalypse," which he believed to be real due to influences from media like The Walking Dead. Huang admitted to the attacks but argued he was not responsible due to sleepwalking, a defense the jury ultimately rejected. UK Shocker: 14-Year-Old Girl Allegedly in Bad Mood Due to ‘Periods’ Stabs 2 Teachers, Student With Father’s Fishing Knife in Carmarthenshire.

Huang expressed remorse for his actions, saying, "I feel very terribly sorry for all three individuals because of what I did to them. I feel very sorry for everyone, the families and themselves."

In her sentencing, Justice Johannah Cutts described Huang's actions as "planned" and "highly dangerous." She noted that he was aware of the potential fatal outcome of repeatedly striking his victims and expressed concern over his risk to the public, stating, "I consider that you pose a high level of danger to the public because of the nature of your offences."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2024 11:53 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).