Teenager who threw boy 100ft from Tate Modern viewing platform pleads guilty to attempted murder

A teenager who threw a six-year-old boy from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern art gallery in London has pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Bravery, of west London, was arrested after the incident on the 10th storey balcony of the tourist attraction on Sunday, August 4.

Jonty Bravery, 18, told police he threw the boy from the 100ft viewing platform because he wanted to be on the news.

He said he wanted to highlight his apparent discontent with his treatment for a host of mental health issues when he committed the offence at the London tourist attraction.

Bravery entered his plea during a hearing at the Old Bailey in London on Friday.

Speaking via video link from custody, he was asked how he pleaded to the charge of attempted murder and replied: “I plead guilty. Guilty, yeah correct.”

The teenager, who has autistic spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and was likely to have a personality disorder, has been held at Broadmoor Hospital since mid-October.

He is remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing hearing at a later date.

The victim, who miraculously survived the fall, cannot be named due to his age.

He is continuing to recover slowly at home in France after spending several months in intensive care.

Commenting on the case, CPS prosecutor Emma Jones said: “This devastating and shocking incident at the Tate Modern on 4 August of this year changed the lives of Bravery’s young victim and his family forever.

“The boy was singled out by Bravery, who threw him from the viewing platform intending to kill him. That he survived the five-storey fall was extraordinary.

“Eye witness accounts and CCTV footage, along with Bravery’s admissions at the time of the arrest that his actions were pre-planned, meant he had little choice but to accept responsibility for his actions.

“There will be no trial as a result, and the boy’s family are spared having to relive this traumatic experience in court.

“This was a terrifying experience for the boy’s parents and our thoughts are very much with them all at this difficult time. We hope he makes as full a recovery as possible.”

The court previously heard how Bravery was seen wandering about the viewing platform before picking up his victim and throwing him over the edge.

He then approached a member of staff, explaining: “I think I’ve murdered someone, I’ve just thrown someone off the balcony.”

He said he heard voices tell him he had to hurt or kill people, the court was told.

Writing on a GoFundMe page in November - which has so far raised around £130,000 for his medical treatment - the boy’s family said he was “now able to venture outside” and had regained some movement in his legs.