Guilty plea of attacker

A 25-YEAR-OLD man has admitted attacking a teenager on a Runcorn bus while armed with a knife.

Hamid Akhonzada, of Liskeard Close, Brookvale, pleaded guilty to Section 18 wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a knife in public, namely a steak knife, when he appeared at Chester Crown Court on August 25.

He denied one count of causing actual bodily harm in relation to an alleged assault on a 16-year-old girl during the same incident and the charge was ordered to lie on file.

Akhonzada was remanded back into custody to return to Chester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, January 7.

The attack happened on an Arriva 79c bus travelling between Brookvale and

Palacefields in Runcorn at around 3.15pm on Saturday, May 8.

Cheshire police reported at the time that a 17-year-old boy suffered facial injuries during the incident and was treated in hospital before being discharged.

A force spokesman said Akhonzada was arrested in Croydon, south London, at around

1.30pm on Friday, May 14.

Following the attack in May, Arriva reported it was assisting police and was “committed to ensuring the safety of our customers and employees at all times”.