Parents of pupil who was severely assaulted by a fellow learner say the ordeal has changed their son

When his teenage son approached him to ask if they could talk about bullying, he thought he simply wanted to have a discussion about the issue.

“We had a chat that evening but I didn’t take it too seriously,” Gavin Johnson* admits.

“I told my boy if he became a target he should stand up for himself and not let people bully him or dictate to him. He didn’t mention a specific person and I thought he was speaking in general.”