Girl, 16, who stabbed inclusion support worker gets seven-year custodial sentence

A 16-year-old girl who stabbed a school welfare officer, leaving her seriously injured, has been given a seven-year custodial sentence by a judge who said she would probably have killed her victim if she had not been restrained.

Elisha Burkill attacked inclusion support officer Joy Simon, 61, in an office at Winterton Community Academy (pictured), near Scunthorpe, in September last year.

Judge Jeremy Richardson QC, sitting at Hull Crown Court, told the teenager: “I have no doubt that if you had not been restrained … you would have, in all likelihood, killed Mrs Simon. You very nearly did.”

The judge heard how Burkill came “flying” into Mrs Simon’s office on September 25 and stabbed her a number of times, repeatedly slamming the door as the support worker tried to escape.

He also heard how the attack came as a complete shock to the school and the teenager’s family, as Burkill was seen as a model, high-achieving pupil.

But the court also heard how Burkill was suffering from a serious depressive illness which she had hidden from her family.

The teenager showed no emotion as she was sentenced.

Judge Richardson gave Burkill an extended sentence due to her dangerousness, which added a five-year licence period to her custodial time.

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