A 15-year-old student accused of bringing a firearm to Clare Hall Secondary School has been cleared of all charges following a decision by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The teen was initially charged with using a firearm in furtherance of an offence, later amended to an attempted offence. However, the DPP’s office determined that the evidence was insufficient to support the charge, particularly as no weapon was recovered.
The charge was withdrawn, and the case dismissed by the Child Justice Board.
Attorney Peyton Knight, representing the student, welcomed the outcome, calling the case a miscarriage of justice.
He criticized the police for their handling of the matter and suggested they knew the firearm’s whereabouts. Knight is considering legal action against the Commissioner of Police.
The student, who was on remand before securing bail, remains entangled in another legal battle.
His mother is challenging his expulsion from the public school system, with mediation set for April.
