A TEENAGER has appeared at a youth court in Northwich after a pupil was shot in the back of the head with an air rifle at The Grange School, Hartford, last week.
The incident happened last Monday while the 14-year-old victim was playing on a rugby field next to the private school in Bradburns Lane.
The defendant, 16, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, possession of a loaded 1.77 air rifle in a public place and possession of cannabis. He has no connection with the school and cannot be named for legal reasons.
Armed police response units were called to the scene after the incident and Cheshire Constabulary's plane was scrambled over the Hartford area to search for the offender.
The victim was taken to Leighton Hospital with a minor head injury.
'The defendant was with a friend in woodland to the rear of The Grange School,' said Tony Smith, prosecuting at the youth court in Northwich on Wednesday.
'They were shooting at wild birds and the defendant went into bushes where he could see pupils from the Grange School playing rugby and knelt down and fired.
'The victim was struck by a pellet on the rear of his head and described it as feeling like he was hit by a paintball.
'He said it was painful and knocked him to his knees. He was taken to hospital where he had the pellet removed from his head. He had a one-inch wound behind his right ear at eye level. It is fortunate he wasn't blinded by this assault.'
Chris Johnson, defending, said there were concerns about the defendant's mental health.
Magistrates adjourned the case for pre-sentence reports from social services and left all sentencing options open.
