Schoolgirl, 16, wrote note vowing to ‘go out with a bang’ before stabbing teaching assistant
Victim Joy Simon, 61, had thought 16-year-old Elisha Burkill was going in for a hug before she repeatedly stabbed her in her office
A GIRL of 16 who wrote a note vowing to "go out with a bang" before stabbing a teaching assistant was caged for seven years yesterday.
Elisha Burkill wrote a string of disturbing letters before she attacked Joy Simon, 61.
The welfare officer thought Burkill was about to give her a hug as she approached her in her office.
But the teen produced a three-inch kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed her.
Mrs Simon suffered life-threatening injuries and has not returned to work at Winterton Community Academy, North Lincolnshire, since the attack last September.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said she posed a risk of inflicting “terrible violence” on others.
He added: “I have no doubt if you had not been restrained and had the alarm not been raised by pupils you would in all likelihood have killed Mrs Simon.
“You nearly did.
She was grievously injured and lost nearly a third of her blood.
”This was a sustained and brutal attack executed with ferocious but utterly unemotional zeal and determination.”
He said Burkill had hatched “a devious and determined plan” to attack Mrs Simon after deleting texts and social media messages to “cover her tracks and hamper the police investigation”.
Hull crown court heard that police found the disturbing notes when they searched Burkill’s belongings after her arrest.
One read: “I'm not scared about giving up anymore.
It's already happened.
Giving up is an opportunity and now I will take it.
Take. Take. Take.”
Another read she wanted “to go out with a bang in Year 11”.
Mum-of-two Mrs Simon, who wept as the girl was sentenced, had been alone in her office when the teenager burst in.
She thought she was going to be hugged but then realised she was being stabbed.
Colleagues rushed to help when they heard her screams.
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Diana Ellis QC, mitigating, said: "The knowledge of what she did will remain with her to haunt her."
The court heard that the teenager has been suffering mental health problems for two years and had been self harming.
She had a "serious depressive illness" which she had hidden from her family.
She took a dislike to Mrs Simon because she felt she was not doing enough to help her.
The teenager pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and carrying a bladed weapon.
A charge of attempted murder was earlier dropped.