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A Taranaki student had to jump out of a window to escape a bashing by three fellow students this week.
Three New Plymouth Boys' High School students are being investigated by police after the alleged late-night bashing.
The three allegedly burst into the victim's room about 10.15pm on Tuesday and savagely beat him around the head, only hours before he sat his first NCEA exam, the Taranaki Daily News reported.
The 17-year-old, who had to jump out of a window to escape, received two black eyes, a cut above his right eye that required four stitches and a swollen jaw in the unprovoked attack, and was taken to the accident and emergency department Taranaki Base Hospital.
The boy, a year 12 boarder, has remained at school to complete the exams.
Police have spoken to one of the alleged assailants about the attack and have made arrangements with the school to meet the other two next week.
NPBHS acting principal Bruce Bayly and chairman of the board of trustees Jamie Sutherland refused to comment yesterday, other than saying they had dealt with the matter appropriately.
The victim's mother, whom the Taranaki Daily News has agreed not to name to protect the identity of her son, said she "lost it" when the school rang to tell her her son had been assaulted.
She reported the incident to police.
She said another son, aged 14, had also been subjected to physical attacks.
He has a permanent scar on his thigh after his leg was held against a heater.
Some of the attacks, on her younger son, had been recorded by other students on their cellphones, she said.
"That is what I found absolutely disgusting," she said.
The school told her it had not been aware of the previous bullying.
"When I did make them aware that there were issues, it was not taken anywhere near as serious as it was."
She admits there could have been fault on both sides, but could not think what her son could have done to deserve the beating.
Senior Sergeant Selwyn Wansbrough, of the New Plymouth police, confirmed they had received a complaint of assault and were investigating.
- NZPA
