12-year-old accused of stabbing in Sittingbourne has charge amended
The boy has now been charged with wounding with intent
A 12-year-old boy who was accused of attempted murder after a teenage girl was stabbed has had his charge changed to wounding with intent.
Police were called to reports of a 15-year-old girl suffering injuries consistent with a knife wound at an address in Sittingbourne, Kent, at 3.55pm on Friday March 22.
The youth appeared by video link for a preliminary hearing at Maidstone Crown Court where he was informed of the change in charge.
Judge Julian Smith ordered the case be remitted to the youth court with a further hearing to be held at Medway Magistrates' Court on a date to be fixed.
The judge told the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons: "You came to this court because of the charge you faced which was an attempted murder charge.
"Because that charge isn't the charge you face any more, it has been changed to wounding with intent - it's still very serious but not as serious as attempted murder - this case has to follow a different path.
"So I'm going to send your case back to the youth court at Medway and they will decide what to do with it."
Judge Smith ordered the youth to stay in custody until the next hearing.
A previous hearing of the case was told that the girl had been airlifted to King's College Hospital in London and had undergone emergency surgery to her chest and abdomen.