Boy Stabs Girl After Rejection, Authorities Say

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a girl in a shop in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, after she rejected his advances. The incident occurred on March 15 of this year, police reported.

The boy had reportedly asked the victim out on a date, and upon her refusal, he followed her to a store. Authorities stated that he approached her, produced a knife from his pocket, and proceeded to stab her multiple times. The shopkeeper intervened in an attempt to pull the boy away but was also struck in the back with the knife.

Video footage released by Gloucestershire Police shows the boy chasing the girl through the store aisle with a knife in his hand. The girl managed to escape the shop and sought help from a nearby property.

As a result of the attack, the girl sustained cuts to her neck, hands, and face, along with bruising to her back. The boy fled the scene but was apprehended by police shortly afterward. A knife was discovered in his jeans pocket during a search.

Appearing at Bristol Crown Court, the boy, whose identity is protected due to his age, was described as having developed an obsession with the girl from his school. After she rejected him in December 2025, he allegedly began sending her messages using fake social media accounts.

In a statement read in court, the victim described the lasting impact of the incident, stating, "I’m scared and nervous anywhere that I go. Even if someone puts their hand up next to me I flinch as I don’t know what they are about to do to me." She added that she experiences nightmares and feels a constant sense of unease, impacting her trust in others and her daily activities, including her commute to work.

Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher commented on the case, noting the severity of the attack. "This was a frenzied attack that took place in broad daylight," he stated. "The victim was stabbed multiple times with a knife and has been very, very lucky to get away with only minor injuries. We could easily have been looking at a fatal incident if that knife had pierced her anywhere else." Fletcher expressed hope that the victim can now begin to recover from the traumatic events.