Would-be car thieves caught on doorbell camera
For months jail for 14-year-old
A TEENAGER who plunged a knife into a man’s neck and stomach after going to the wrong address was found not guilty of attempted murder – but was jailed for four years.
The 14-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied attempted murder at Southampton Crown Court but admitted grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed weapon.
After a five-day trial the jury were unable to reach a verdict and a formal not guilty verdict was returned for attempted murder.
This followed an incident on October 27, where a 56-year-old man sustained two stab wounds during an altercation with two teenage boys in Barnfield Road, Southampton.
Prior to the incident, the man was indoors with his wife when a brick and a slab of concrete were thrown through windows of their property.
The man went outside where an altercation took place, during which he received two deep stab wounds to his neck and stomach after the boy mistook him for someone else.
The boy had gone out armed with a blade to seek revenge following a dispute over a social media post but targeted the wrong address. A neighbour intervened and both boys ran off in the direction of Mayfield Park.
The man’s wife and neighbours tended to him in the street until paramedics arrived and took him to Southampton General Hospital for emergency medical treatment.
The second teenage boy, also aged 14, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon at a previous hearing.
He was given a 12-month referral order in November.
Detective Sergeant Will Whale said ‘This case highlights the risks involved with carrying knives and the devastation it can cause.
‘That night two young teenagers went out carrying knives, to seek revenge against another boy over nothing more than a social media post.
‘When the man came out of his house to find out who had damaged his windows, they quickly realised they had attacked the wrong address. Despite this, one of the boys stabbed the man twice before running off and leaving him in the street.
‘The man had nothing to do with the dispute that led to this incident and had no connection to the defendants.
‘He will carry the emotional and physical scars of this horrendous incident for the rest of his life.’
‘This sentence sends out a clear message that this crime will never be tolerated and we will do everything in our power to take them and the offenders that carry them off the streets. No good ever comes from carrying knives.’
Superintendent Kelly Whiting said ‘This is a tragic case for all concerned. Not only has a man been left with serious injuries but a child has lost his liberty at such an influential time of their life.
‘My plea is to parents to take responsibility for their children; to know where they are and who they are with. Also to urge communities to keep reporting intelligence around knife crime so that together we can continue to tackle this rising threat in society.’