A teenager accused of attempting to murder a 15-year-old boy by shooting him in the face has said he is "truly sorry" but had only intended to scare him.

The 16-year-old, who was 15 at the time of the incident and cannot be identified because of his age, took the stand for the opening of the defence case at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday.

Under examination by defence barrister Diana Ellis QC, the boy confirmed he had taken a Beretta 12 bore shotgun with him to Friends Walk, Kesgrave, and shot the other boy in the face on the morning of September 7 last year.

The boy said his intention had not been to shoot the other boy in the face, kill him, or do him really serious harm, but to "scare" him.

When asked how he felt about what he did on that day, the boy replied: "It's hard to describe in words how I feel. Awful, to put it bluntly.

"I can't imagine the pain and suffering that his family must have gone through – not only him – and I'm truly sorry for what I did."

He told the court that bullying by the other boy had damaged his self confidence, left him feeling quite upset, and caused him to develop anxiety and suffer panic attacks.

"I felt humiliated that I was being bullied," he added. "And that, if he was brought up on it, he would get me back for snitching on him."

The boy said there were also times when the pair would "get along fine", play video games with each other and go shooting together with his grandfather.

The court heard that, following the boy's arrest, police found an empty box of 12 gauge cartridges in his bedroom, along with a number of other items, including a Co2 powered air pistol, plastic Nerf guns and foam darts, a replica stab vest bought as a gift from his father, and a gas mask bought from eBay.

The boy told the court he had developed an interest in guns from an early age and had fired his grandfather's 20 bore shotgun because it was better for younger children and beginners, but had shot the 12 bore shotgun on just one previous occasion.

Jurors also heard the conclusion of the prosecution's evidence at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the jury was told that the defendant had admitted possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

He denies attempted murder, possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a shotgun with intent to cause fear of violence against a man who witnessed the incident.

It has been alleged that the victim was deliberately shot as he was walking to school on the first day of a new term.

The prosecution has claimed the defendant set out to kill the boy after planning the attack for a year.

The court has heard that the defendant took his grandfather’s double barrelled shotgun and drove his father’s car to Friends Walk, in Grange Farm, Kesgrave, where he allegedly lay in wait for more than an hour before shooting the victim.

The boy had a “significant “injury to the side of his face and suffered a stroke after being taken to hospital, causing partial paralysis and some brain damage.