The teenager who cannot be named has three previous convictions involving a troubled two years carrying and using knives
The teenager who cannot be named has three previous convictions involving a troubled two years carrying and using knives
A teenage yob who plunged a knife into a man while his back was turned once broke into a woman’s house, scrawled threats on her wall and stabbed her cat. The 15-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared this week at Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced for a serious incident in Newsham Park on August 19 this year.
The court heard following a dispute regarding a bike, the teenager told his 19-year-old victim to follow him into the park for a fight. But once there, he pulled out a knife and, after initially being disarmed by his terrified target, stabbed him twice, once in the chest and once puncturing the small intestine.
The victim was rushed to Aintree University University with life-threatening injuries but ultimately survived following the quick-thinking and skill of surgeons. However, the ECHO can reveal the teenager has come into contact with the authorities on a number of occasions before, including a disturbing incident where he broke into a vulnerable woman’s home.
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Before he was sentenced this week for section 18 wounding and possession of a bladed article in a public place, the teenager had three convictions for six offences between 2023 and now. The first followed a dispute with a taxi driver that saw the teenager and his associates flee from the car. As they did, the boy was seen to “discard a meat cleaver”, which was later recovered and confirmed to have his finger prints on.
The next conviction saw the teenager and three other males break into a woman’s house. They threw paint over her house and damaged doors and the TV. They then wrote on the walls “Jess you sl*t, this is what happens when you don’t pay, your baby getting kidnapped”. The woman was later sent videos on Snapchat of the people inside her house, including sickening images of them stabbing her cat. The teenager was identified by the video.
The third previous conviction saw the teenager inside Newsham Park with a group of friends. Following a dispute with another of the group, the teenager poked the other person with a knife. It was initially laughed off but the victim was later forced down an alleyway by the teenager and another male. The teenager then made the victim, get on his knees, kiss his feet before he was assaulted.
Fight night in Newsham Park
During this week’s court appearance, prosecutor William Beardmore said victim Harvey Wood, 19, saw the defendant, who he had known for around two years, going into Murphy’s Wine on Prescot Road on the night of the incident. Mr Wood followed the defendant, who was with friends, into the shop to ask about the whereabouts of a bike that he had recently purchased from his acquaintance.
Mr Beardmore told the court that the defendant became confrontational and there was “some pushing and shoving”. The defendant told Mr Wood to then follow him into Newsham Park for a fight. The court heard CCTV showed the pair and the defendant’s friends walking into the park at 5.46pm before arriving near the band stand around a minute later.
The court heard how one of the defendant’s friends, David Whiteley, said something to Mr Wood that caused him to turn around. Mr Beardmore said when he turned back towards the defendant he saw him holding a knife. The prosecutor said: “Mr Wood punched the defendant and they fell to the ground.
“Mr Wood took possession of the knife but as he turned to throw it away another of the defendant’s friends passed him another knife.” The court heard the teenage defendant stabbed Mr Wood twice in the torso. Further CCTV timestamped at 5.49pm showed Mr Wood staggering away clutching his chest before he collapsed.
The court heard he was initially given first aid by Mr Whiteley before paramedics arrived at 5.55pm. His breathing was described as sluggish and there were two obvious wounds to his left side.
He was taken to Aintree University Hospital where it was found that a lung had been lacerated causing blood in the chest cavity, while a “through and through” puncture to his small intestine had caused a pulmonary embolism. He was operated on before remaining in the hospital’s intensive care unit for another four days.
The teenager was initially charged with attempted murder and was remanded in custody three days after the incident. He then entered a guilty plea to alternative charge section 18 wounding and possession of a bladed article in a public place on November 18.
‘Very sorry for what he did’
The boy’s barrister, Daniel Travers, told the court his client was “devastated and very sorry for what he did”. The court heard at the time the defendant associated with boys considerably older than him and a psychological report had shown significant cognitive issues.
Mr Travers told the court there was little he could say regarding his client’s previous offending but added: “He has proudly told me he has achieved ‘champion’ status whilst in custody.” The court heard the teenager had achieved certificates in English, maths, science and sports since he had been remanded. Mr Travers added: “He is missing spending time with his siblings. He has been able to communicate with them on the telephone.”
Mr Travers told the court that this was a maximum credit case due to his client’s guilty pleas, but Judge Stuart Driver KC disagreed and said the teenager had given a “false account that the victim was threatening him with a knife and that this was self defence” when interviewed by the police. The judge instead said the maximum reduction of sentence would be 25%.
Regarding if the teenager was dangerous or not, Mr Travers said: “The risk to the public we hope will be reduced as undoubtedly whatever sentence is going to be a long period of time in detention. Even if he is understood to be dangerous, the length will be enough to protect the public.”
A dangerous boy
Sentencing, Judge Driver disagreed and concluded the teenager was a significant risk of causing further harm, adding: “An extended sentence is necessary for the protection of the public.” The court heard for an adult the starting point when it comes to this type of offending would be 12 years’ imprisonment.
The judge added there were significant aggravating factors including the use of two weapons and the teenager’s previous convictions. He said: “For an adult, they would drive up the sentence, but he is not an adult.” He instead said the teenager had strong mitigation due to the fact he is a vulnerable child with a history of learning difficulties.
He sentenced the teenager to four-and-a-half years’ imprisonment in a young offenders’ institute with an extended licence of four years. Judge Driver said: “This was a very serious crime and you have carried knives before. I have decided the public must be protected from you in the future.” A 10-year restraining order was also imposed preventing the teenager, supported in court by a number of his family, from contacting his victim.
Following his sentencing, Detective Sergeant Andrew Trimble said: “The teenage male is now facing a lengthy sentence for his involvement in such violence, and I hope he reflects on his appalling actions committed that day. Carrying a knife is not only reckless and can have devastating consequences, not only for the victim and their family but also for the offenders involved. Thankfully in this instance the victim survived and has recovered from his injuries.”
