Boy sentenced after stabbing in Rushey Mead
The victim suffered a punctured lung
Last updated 23rd Aug 2024
A 16-year-old youth has been sentenced after stabbing a man in Rushey Mead earlier this year.
Around 7.40pm on Friday 26 April police received a report that a 23-year-old man had been stabbed while in Lockerbie Walk.
The victim later told police that he was approached by an unknown youth who swung his arm at him hitting him in the chest and the victim ran from the scene believing he had been punched.
It wasn’t until he stopped a short distance away in Gleneagles Avenue, that he then realised he had been stabbed.
East Midlands Ambulance Service were called to the scene and the victim was taken to hospital receiving treatment to a punctured lung.
During the police investigation that followed, the 16-year-old youth was identified through witness accounts and CCTV, which captured the incident.
He was arrested and later charged with section 18 grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
On Thursday 6 June, at Leicester Magistrates’ Court, the teenager pleaded guilty to both offences at the start of his trial.
He was sentenced to a total of 32 months at Leicester Crown Court today (Friday 23 August).
Detective Constable Olivia England, from the force’s Complex Investigation team, was the investigating officer.
She said: “The victim in this case was extremely lucky as he sustained a serious injury which could have been life threatening.
“He is now thankfully making a full recovery, but I have no doubt that although his physical injury will heal, the events of what happened will mentally stay with him much longer.”
"There are no excuses for his choice"
Inspector Charles Edwards, East Leicester’s Neighbourhood Policing Area commander, said: “It is extremely concerning that a child of this age has chosen to not only carry a knife on our streets but to use it with such force.
“There are no excuses for his choice and the act he chose to commit that day which thankfully did not result in a loss of life.
“I can only hope that a period of detention will allow him to reflect and hopefully encourage him to step away from committing further crime.”
Inspector Edwards added: “We take knife crime very seriously and the force remains committed to continuously educate and inform people of the dangers of carrying a knife and the consequences.
“The #LivesNotKnives campaign was launched a number of years ago and continues to be actively promoted across the force area to deter people from carrying knives.”