It was on August 4, 2019 that Jonty Bravery, then 17, threw a 6-year-old child from the balcony of the 10th floor of the Tate Modern in London (United Kingdom). Almost a year later, the 18-year-old Brit was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison. Despite surviving the attack, the male child suffered a hemorrhage in the brain, fractures in the spine and was left with sequelae for life.
After the prosecution made it clear that Jonty Bravery planned an attack aimed at young children, writes the BBC, the judge stated that the victim “suffered permanent injuries that changed his life”, already after the Briton admitted to attempted murder. “He went to the observation platform, looked around, saw the victim and his family, went to the boy and threw him over the rail,” continued the judge, stressing the fear and horror that the victim must have felt , as well as his parents, also present on the spot.
The 6-year-old ended up landing on a fifth-floor balcony, “head first, toward the floor”. He survived the accident, but was left with sequelae that left him in a wheelchair, needing support and care 24 hours a day, at least for another year.
During the trial, Jonty Bravery’s defense attorney referred to the defendant’s diagnosis of autism, data he obtained from letters from Bravery’s parents. The victim’s parents, in a statement collected in February, described the defendant’s actions as “indescribable”.
“Our son, after six months, asks why he is in the hospital,” said the couple, who was not present at the time of reading the sentence. Jonty Bravery’s relatives were also absent.
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