Boy, 16, in court over sixth form college fatal stabbing
- Published
The defendant only spoke to confirm he understood proceedings at court
A 16-year-old boy has appeared in court over the death of a boy who was fatally stabbed outside a college.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court earlier charged with attempted murder.
The 16-year-old victim, who has not yet been named, was attacked on Wednesday outside Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Highgate, Birmingham.
His life support was switched off on Friday.
A post-mortem examination is due to take place later.
Appearing via video link from a young offenders institution in Werrington, Staffordshire, the defendant only spoke to confirm he understood proceedings.
No plea was entered by the boy, who is also accused of two counts of wounding and one charge of possessing an offensive weapon.
He was remanded into custody ahead of his next court appearance on 18 March, when he is expected to be charged with murder.
Police said a 17-year-old boy had also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender while an 18-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of the same offence, has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Knife crime in the West Midlands
West Midlands Police saw a 72% rise in knife crime between April 2013 and the year ending March 2018, Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis shows, external.
A force spokesman said the number of fatal knife crimes doubled from 2015-17 to 22.
Across England and Wales there were 285 killings by a knife or sharp instrument in the 12 months ending March 2018, the highest since records began in 1946.
Out of 43 police forces, the West Midlands saw the third highest knife crime offences per head of population between April 2017 to March 2018, according to the Home Office.
Source: ONS/Home Office
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