Jury finds boy attempted murder of teenage girl

A 15-year-old boy, who stabbed a teenage girl during a transaction involving a vape, has been determined to have attempted her murder. He has been placed under a hospital order in accordance with the Mental Health Act, having been judged unfit to face trial. The teenager, whose identity is legally protected, encountered his victim at Cadoxton railway station in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, in January, prior to stabbing her in the back with a knife. Alexander Greenwood, representing the prosecution, informed Merthyr Crown Court that the “young man is suffering from a mental disability.” Due to the boy being deemed unfit to stand trial, the jury was tasked with determining whether he had carried out the actions attributed to him. The jury concluded that he attempted to murder his victim, was in possession of a knife, and engaged in an act with the intent to pervert the course of justice. Following the assault, the victim was hospitalized for a week. Subsequent to the assault, he sent her a text message stating: “Say something and you are dead.” Screenshots of messages, described as being in “youth speak,” sent by the boy to his friends after the stabbing, were presented to the jury. In one such message, when questioned about stabbing the girl, the boy confirmed he did and stated he “regrets it.” A separate message showed him informing a friend that he was “handing myself in tomoz.” The court was informed that one friend advised him he faced 40 years in jail. Another friend counseled him against surrendering if he had not yet been apprehended. The boy messaged that the “Feds” had arrived at his residence. In messages exchanged prior to the attack, the boy informed friends that the victim was “going to die today,” that he intended to “stab her” and “kill” her, and that he “might need to go on the run.” An additional message stated: “I’ve got my knife on me as well” and mentioned it was digging into his leg. He communicated with his girlfriend, who implored him not to proceed, writing: “I die or [she] dies. I don’t care any more. This is what I do.” Mr. Greenwood informed the court that the boy had arranged to meet the girl with the intention of purchasing a vape from her. Upon being questioned about his motive, he stated that the girl had discussed his mother, and he “wasn’t going to let it slide.” During the attack, the victim initially did not comprehend she had been stabbed, describing the sensation as if “she had been punched.” Her understanding of the event only came after receiving a message from the boy that read: “say something and you are dead.” A member of the public contacted emergency services, and the girl was transported to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Medical staff there discovered a 4cm (1.5in) stab wound on the right side of her back. Her right abdomen and right groin also exhibited tenderness upon palpation. Subsequent examination revealed that her right kidney had been displaced as a result of the attack. The boy, a resident of Cardiff, was apprehended by officers the day following the assault. CCTV footage presented to the court depicted the brown-haired boy, dressed in a dark puffer jacket and blue jeans, meeting the girl. She was wearing a black hoodie with a white logo at the station car park. The victim stated that prior to the attack, the boy appeared to be in a “highly agitated state.” The footage showed them conversing, accompanied by two friends, before the boy proceeded to follow the girl and her friend into a lane adjacent to the station. Detective Constable Daniel Murdoch of the British Transport Police stated that the boy then “struck (her) in the back with his right hand,” after which the footage showed him fleeing with a friend into the night. Det Con Murdoch informed the jury that the boy was wearing a glove on his right hand, which was visible on CCTV both before and after the assault. CCTV footage last recorded the boy passing through the ticket barriers at Cardiff Central and boarding a train to Cwmbran, subsequently exiting that station at 22:41 and departing. Judge Jeremy Jenkins expressed his satisfaction that, considering all the circumstances of the case and the defendant’s background, a hospital order was the appropriate course of action. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.