Darren Rigby said he was going to “kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could”
19:00, 01 Jun 2026
Darren Rigby, 21, has been jailed(Image: Merseyside Police)
A man threatened to massacre girls in three Merseyside schools. Darren Rigby, 21, sent a series of terrifying emails to all-girls schools in January this year, claiming: “I’m on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and I’m going to shoot and stab all your girls.”
In one email he threatened to “kill and injure as many girls as he possibly could”, and in another he said: “If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.”
Schools were placed in lockdown and terrified children were left “crying, shaking, asking if they were going to be harmed, asking if the threat was real”.
Rigby, of Worthington Close, Runcorn appeared at Liverpool Crown Court today, June 1, for sentence. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sending communications threatening death or serious harm, possession of an offensive weapon, namely a police baton, and possession of cannabis.
The court heard the first incident took place at Holly Lodge School in West Derby on January 19 this year. At 1.30pm, an email was sent to the school’s general email address, and was read by staff at 2.30pm.
It said: “To the reader of this message, I’m inside the school and I’m hiding somewhere here with a crossbow and a sword and I’m waiting to jump out as soon as the girls are leaving at home time. I’m going to kill and injure as many girls as I possibly can. Anyone who tries to stop me will be shot.”
He added: “If you do not reply by 2.15pm I will be carrying out the attack as soon as the girls get ready to go home.”
The school treated the threat as real. Police were called and the school was placed in lockdown until 3.20pm, when Rigby’s deadline had passed and it became clear the email was a hoax.
The second incident occurred at Greenbank High School in Southport, which the court heard was attended by several children caught up in the 2024 Southport attack.
Shortly before 1pm on January 23, the school received an email which said: “I’m on my way to the school with a revolver and a machete and I’m going to shoot and stab all your girls. I’m in a taxi right now on my way from Widnes. I will be arriving shortly.
“If anyone attempts to stop me they will be shot and I will release a blood agent into the school which will poison you.”
Headteacher Davina Aspinall said she felt “physically sick” after reading the email, which was received during the school’s lunch hour. Staff scrambled to gather up some 1,000 students and lead them inside as the school was placed in “shelter” mode.
Ms Aspinall said: “Children were crying, shaking, asking if they were going to be harmed, asking if the threat was real. At this point we had little information that we could provide the children.”
The final threat was made to Belvedere Academy in Toxteth on January 26. At 8.30am, head teacher Julie Taylor was made aware that a threatening email had been sent overnight to the school’s general email address.
It said: “I have managed to gain access to the school and I’m now hiding somewhere in the school with a crossbow and a sword. When your girls come into school I will be jumping out. I’m going to kill every girl and woman staff member I come across.
“If my demands are not met by 9am I will launch an attack on your girls.”
Rigby went onto say the only way to prevent an attack was for the school to make a public apology with the police and crime commissioner and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
The academy was placed in lockdown at the beginning of the school day. Students, some of whom were supposed to be taking their mock A-level exams, arrived to find the front gates locked, and were directed to the nearby Belvedere Preparatory School.
The lockdown was lifted at 9.15am after a review of the school’s CCTV footage confirmed nobody had entered the grounds.
Rigby was arrested two days later on January 28 following a police investigation. The police baton and cannabis were found at his home in Runcorn.
Prosecutor Iain Criddle said: “An investigation was undertook and it became clear that the emails had been sent from Proton email addresses, Proton being a secure email service designed to protect the identity of the users. The Crown submit that is an aggravating factor, because it shows the technically knowledge and planning of the defendant.
“Further investigation was undertook and that resulted in the police finding that the emails had been sent from internet provider addresses associated with this defendant.
“A search warrant was obtained and executed at the defendant’s home on January 28. During the search an iPhone was recovered. The defendant was asked to provide an ID number and refused to do so because ‘he didn’t want to incriminate himself’.”
In an interview, Rigby admitted sending the threatening emails, “but he denied he had the means to carry out the threats that he made”.
The 21-year-old has four previous convictions for seven offences, including assault and simple possession of cannabis. The prosecution said his offending was aggravated by hostility towards women and girls.
Rebecca Smith, defending, said: “It’s clear from the defendant’s own admissions when he wasn’t legally represented that the difficulties he faces have resulted in the impulsive response in sending these emails. He makes references to both psychiatrists to gender dysphoria.
“At the time the offences were committed, his emotional dysregulation and his feelings of turmoil and confrontation with himself were heightened because of his cannabis use and extreme alcohol consumption.
“That in no way excuses his behaviour, but provides some background as to why a young man acts in a manner that is frightening, disturbing and upsetting.”
She asked the court to take into account Rigby’s young age and immaturity, and the time he had already spent in custody since his arrest.
Sentencing, Recorder Eric Lamb said Rigby had sent the messages “at a time of turmoil in his life when he was affected by cannabis and drink”.
He sentenced him to a total of 28 months in prison. He also made three restraining orders banning him from the three affected schools until further order.
