An attempted murder trial involving two brothers aged 12 and 14 was abruptly halted when one of the youngsters clutched his chest and fell ill.
The boys, from south London, appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday before the Recorder of London Judge Mark Lucraft KC. Both are charged with the attempted murder of an unidentified adult male during a group altercation on August 7 in Thornton Heath, south London.
Hearing disrupted
Seated side-by-side behind their solicitor in the court's well, the defendants confirmed their identities at the start of the hearing. Judge Lucraft scheduled a provisional trial date for January 4 next year after being informed that up to seven individuals could potentially be charged over the "serious" incident.
As he remanded the boys into local authority accommodation, one of them seemed to become distressed, tearfully clutching his chest and gasping for air. The court usher noticed him appearing unwell, and called for first aid as the judge temporarily suspended proceedings.
Judge resumes without boys
Later, Judge Lucraft resumed the hearing without the boys present, and commended his court staff for their quick response. He acknowledged that attending court can often trigger a "panic attack" as he set a further case management hearing for November 6.
Due to their young ages, the defendants cannot be identified for legal reasons.
