Joshua Petersen's attacker's sentence has drawn a furious reaction from the Durban teenager’s family after a regional court imposed five years’ imprisonment on the child offender convicted of attempted murder. Joshua, a Westridge Secondary pupil, was left paralysed from the neck down after he was stabbed at school in January 2025.

Outside the Durban Regional Court on Wednesday, his parents said the punishment did not reflect the lifelong impact of the attack. According to the supplied source, Joshua had travelled to court for the sentencing despite severe mobility challenges.

Family says sentence falls short of justice

The court sentenced the child offender to five years’ imprisonment at the Ekuseni Youth Correctional Centre in Newcastle in terms of section 276(1)(i) of the Criminal Procedure Act. Joshua’s parents, Trevor and Bernadette Petersen, said they were devastated by the outcome and believed it failed to match the gravity of the harm done to their son.

Trevor Petersen said the family felt “done down” by the legal system, while Bernadette Petersen said five years was “just not enough” for a crime that had left her son in a wheelchair for life, according to the supplied report. Their comments framed the sentence as a moment of pain for the family rather than closure.

What section 276(1)(i) means

The sentence was handed down under section 276(1)(i), a provision that allows a court to impose imprisonment from which an offender may later be placed under correctional supervision at the discretion of the Commissioner or a parole board.

The attack happened on 29 January 2025 at Westridge Secondary in Durban. Joshua was stabbed in the neck and abdomen, and earlier reporting said doctors later confirmed he was quadriplegic and would not regain the use of his limbs.

Earlier reports highlighted delays and lack of support

Previous coverage by IOL publications recorded the family’s frustration over court delays and their claim that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education had not offered support in the months after the stabbing. Those reports also described Joshua’s condition as permanent, adding context to why the sentence has triggered such a strong reaction.

For now, the sentence closes one chapter in court, but it does not end the family’s daily struggle. The supplied source says Joshua suffered panic attacks before sentencing and was left speechless after hearing the outcome.