Tate attacker told care worker of wish to kill a year before

A man who threw a six-year-old boy off the 10th floor of the Tate Modern had told a care worker about his wish to kill, a year before.

Jonty Bravery, aged 18, has autism and was in the care of Hammersmith and Fulham Council when in August 2018 his care worker recorded him admitting he would like to throw someone off a high building in central London.

Bravery’s care provider at the time was Spencer & Arlington and he had been living in a flat in Northolt. The teenager was allowed out unsupervised and was alone when he pushed a small boy off the viewing platform of London's Tate building on 4 August 2019.

'I've got it in my head'

Bravery is heard saying in the voice recording: "If I could do it right now I would.

“I’ve got it in my head, a way, a way to kill somebody and then I know for a fact I’m gonna go to prison if I do that. It could be anyone.

“And go out for the day casually, and just go out to central London just for the day out, yeah, just as if we’re having a normal day.

"And then go and visit some of the landmarks. It could be the Shard, it could be anything just as long as it's a high thing and we can go up and visit it and then push somebody off it and I know for a fact they'll die from falling from a hundred feet."

The care worker who recorded Bravery alleged he raised the alarm to his colleagues and played them the voice recording of the teenager.

The home care provider Spencer & Arlington is rated 'good' by the Care Quality Commission and specialises in learning disabilities and mental health needs. Key areas of its work includes challenging behaviour and resettlement.

Spencer & Arlington has said there was no record of Bravery's disclosure in any care plan, care report or review from managers or his care workers, psychologists, or health workers.

The company has reported the concerns raised to the Care Quality Commission and the council, for the case to be examined independently by the serious case review.

'I think I've murdered someone'

Bravery has admitted attempted murder at the Old Bailey and is due to be sentenced later this month.

The court heard Bravery had approached a member of Tate Modern staff, saying: "I think I've murdered someone, I've just thrown someone off the balcony."

In his police interview, Bravery said he had to prove a point "to every idiot" who said he had no mental health problems and asked police if it was going to be on the news.

"I wanted to be on the news, who I am and why I did it, so when it is official, no-one can say anything else."

The court heard Bravery has autistic spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and may have a personality disorder.

Bravery's victim was a French tourist visiting London with his family. The boy fell five floors from the 10th floor of the Tate and suffered life-changing injuries. He suffered a deep bleed to the brain, a fractured spine and leg and arm fractures. He cannot stand and is still unable to drink with even with a straw.

A GoFundMe page for the little boy has raised more than £156,500 towards the cost of his treatment. In a statement, the boy's parents said: "Thank you for your help. We keep fighting with our little knight."