A schoolboy with autism tried to take his own life after he developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of bullying, his mother has revealed.

Jake Warfield was just 11 when he attempted to kill himself after being beaten with a metal pole and left with serious injuries to his face, head, arms, knees and shoulder.

His mother Diane has revealed Jake’s ordeal and the lasting impact it has had on his life as part of a campaign to change the law on bullying.

She said Jake had been dealing with bullies for months before the attack on the last day before the Christmas break in December 2016.

Diane said: ‘When I got to the school and saw him he burst into tears and I did too.

‘A group of boys had attacked him in school and he had blood pouring underneath his eye.

‘He was hit with a metal bar which had a hook on the end of it and he was struck 12 times. His head was physically misshapen. He was inconsolable.’

The bullies were expelled from de Ferrers Academy in Burton, Staffordshire, but Jake, now 14, still suffers the consequences.

Diane said: ‘He had PTSD and a mental breakdown and was off school for three months. I wasn’t letting him go back there.

‘He tried to kill himself when he was 11. He was reliving it in his sleep, crying and begging for help – it was just heartbreaking to see.

‘Jake is autistic, so it is hard for him to communicate the way he is feeling, but after two years of counselling he is still not right.

‘He has really bad anxiety and he is scarred for life, with scars on his face, shoulder and knee.’

The teenager struggles to go out on his own and doesn’t like to be around big groups of people, his mother said.

Mum-of-four Diane has joined forces with the parents of other children who have been bullied to share Jake’s story in the hope laws will be introduced that stop bullying.

She said: ‘It was nearly three years ago, but it has changed our lives completely.

‘It is still going on in schools everywhere up and down the country and we want to stop others from going through what we have been through.

‘People are taking their lives because of bullies. It is not acceptable. It is unbelievable what bullying has done to Jake.’

The campaign will be launched on 25 October by Jason Barnett from Leeds, an advocate for vulnerable children and a former teacher.

More than 75 families from across the UK are backing the campaign – including relatives who have set up foundations in memory of children who have lost their lives as a result of bullying.

A spokesman for the de Ferrers Academy said: ‘The academy has a range of strategies in place to minimise bullying and clear procedures to address it should it occur.

‘As part of our safeguarding review with the local authority, we have also introduced an email student helpline for bullying which guarantees a response within the day.

‘All bullying incidents are recorded and reported to the local governing body.’

The school said its anti-bullying policy is updated annually and that students attend and undertake anti-bullying assemblies throughout the year.

The spokesman added: ‘It is deeply regrettable that this incident happened; support was put into place to support Jake in his transition to his new school and we are so sorry that he has been unwell.

‘The de Ferrers Academy supports anti-bullying initiatives and we wish Jake and his family great success with their work in this regard.’

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