Boy who stabbed girl with samurai sword detained

The attack took place near the A63 in East Yorkshire last November

A 15-year-old boy who attempted to murder a schoolgirl by stabbing her with a samurai-style sword during a Halloween camping trip has been sentenced to 11 years in detention.

The victim, who was 13 at the time, had been with friends near the A63 in East Yorkshire when she suffered 10 wounds, including damage to a lung and her liver, during the attack on 1 November.

The defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, was found guilty following a seven day trial at Hull Crown Court.

In a victim impact statement read out in court by the prosecution, the girl, now 14, described how she was left with scars and suffering panic attacks following "the worst day of my life".

During the trial, the jury heard the girl fought off her attacker before she was found covered in blood by passing drivers after staggering on to the dual carriageway.

Armed officers recovered the 16in (40cm) long weapon from a tent where the boy was sleeping.

During police interviews he had denied the attack.

Supt Simon Vickers, from Humberside Police, said the girl was lucky to be alive

Passing sentence, Judge John Thackray KC said: "Your victim will never fully recover psychologically from the attack."

"This case represents yet another sad and depressing example of a child having access to a fearsome and deadly weapon and using it", he said.

"Untreated the wounds were life-threatening, it was only good fortune that the injuries were not more serious.

"Four of them could so easily have caused death."

Judge Thackray KC said the girl showed "incredible bravery" before handing the boy an indefinite restraining order.

He told the defendant: "She was brave to fight you off, she was brave to run alone through the fields in the dark and summon help from those motorists who were shocked and sickened by the extent of the injuries you inflicted."

Officers recovered a katana sword in one of the tents following searches of the area, the court had heard

The girl watched the proceedings from another room via a video link as her victim statement was read, in which she detailed how the assault had a "huge impact" on her life.

The court heard she spent 27 days in hospital.

"I was fighting for my life," she said.

"I will have scars and be reminded what he did to me. I still have pain and I can't do the things I used to.

"I want to get back to normal but can't because of what happened."

'Wretched childhood'

After he was arrested and charged, the boy pleaded not guilty to attempted murder but later admitted wounding with intent and possessing a bladed weapon.

In mitigation, the boy's barrister David Godfrey said his client had a "wretched childhood".

"He suffered significant neglect and witnessed violence."

The girl was found covered in blood at the side of the A63 dual carriageway asking for help from motorists

Supt Simon Vickers, from Humberside Police, commended the victim's bravery throughout the investigation.

He described her as an "innocent and helpless young girl" who was lucky to be alive after a "horrific and unimaginable attack".

"She continues to recover not only from her physical injuries but with the mental scars from that night," he said.

"Whilst the boy is now being punished for his unforgivable actions, there are no winners in this situation with both teenagers' lives now having changed forever."

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.