TWO 14-year-old boys who hero-worshipped the Columbine High murderers planned to kill pupils and teachers at their Yorkshire school, a jury has been told.
The teens, who are both now 15, have been charged with conspiracy to murder and other offences relating to an attack allegedly planned for their school.
Paul Greaney QC, prosecuting, told a jury that the boys hero-worshipped Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold – the teenagers who killed 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High, in Colorado, before shooting themselves.
Mr Greaney said: "Eighteen years after the Columbine Massacre and nearly 4,500 miles away, two young teenagers in North Yorkshire became fascinated with Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold.
"Those two teenagers researched and discussed those killers and their interest in them turned to hero-worship. It was against that background that they plotted their own attack upon the school they attended.
"In that attack, they intended to shoot and kill other pupils and teachers against whom they held a grievance.
BLOODY MASSACRE: What happened on the day of April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School
STUDENTS Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, unleashed one of the worst mass shootings in US history on April 20, 1999,
Twelve students and one teacher were killed by the two students at the Columbine High School in Colorado, with more than 20 injured.
Most were killed in the school's library, with the pair then turning their guns on themselves.
The horrific murders later saw debate over gun control lawws and high school cliques increase.
After the massacre, Philip Duran and Mark Manes were prosecuted for their role in supplying the teens with guns.
"They also, like their heroes, intended to deploy explosives and researched bombing-making techniques to that end."
Mr Greaney said: "They intended a re-enactment of the Columbine High School Massacre although fortunately, in the result, they were stopped before their plans were put into action."
The defendants sat outside the dock, behind their lawyers, in Court 1 of Leeds Crown Court as Mr Greaney began to outline the case. Both sat with their mothers and one was wearing school uniform.
Both deny a joint charge of conspiracy to murder relating to a period between December 31 2016 and October 29 2017.
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They have also each pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence and a charge of encouraging or assisting an offence believing it would be committed.
One of the boys has denied one offence of the unlawful wounding of a teenage girl and another of aggravated burglary.
Neither of the defendants nor the school can be named.
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