Mother Denounces 'Disgraceful' Sentence for Daughter's Teenage Attacker

The mother of a teenage girl who was repeatedly stabbed by a 14-year-old boy after she refused to date him has called the court's decision not to impose a jail sentence a "disgrace." The attack occurred on March 15 in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

The boy, who had become fixated on the girl, followed her to a shop and attacked her outside with a knife he carried in his pocket. The incident has left the victim with nightmares and severe anxiety, making her afraid to go about her daily life alone, according to reports in court.

"If you're big enough to commit an adult crime, you should have the punishment, regardless of your age," the girl's mother told the BBC. "It was not a petty crime. I feel angry. We're incredibly let down; we feel like everyone's failed us."

She added, "It's disgusting. It's absolutely disgraceful after watching [footage of the attack] that someone can say the guidelines are first offense and the injuries weren't life-threatening." The mother emphasized her desire for "justice for my child - I want some protection."

Bristol Crown Court heard that the boy had developed an obsession with the girl, a schoolmate. After she rejected his advances in December of the previous year, he began using fake social media accounts to message her.

Harrowing CCTV footage captured the moment the boy calmly approached his victim in a convenience store and proceeded to stab her multiple times. He then pursued her around the shop before she fled outside, and he continued to chase her. A quick-thinking shopkeeper intervened, attempting to pull the boy away, but was also stabbed in the process.

The schoolgirl sustained cuts to her neck, hands, and face, along with bruising to her back. The attacker was apprehended near the scene shortly after the incident, with a knife found in his possession.

In a statement read to the court, the victim described her ongoing fear: "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. I know this is as a result of the incident, as I wasn't like this before."

She recounted the shock following the attack, stating she did not leave her house for several days and never anticipated such an event happening to her. "I've been having nightmares since; I relive the incident, but in these dreams it happens in different places. I sleep in the dark but when I wake, I constantly feel like there is a presence in the room. I can't stop thinking about it," her statement read.

Her statement concluded, "This is going to affect my ability to trust people. I'm now getting dropped off to work because I don't want to be outside on my own. I shouldn't have to feel like this as a teenager in my own area."

Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher, Head of Serious and Complex Investigations, commented after the sentencing: "This was a frenzied attack that took place in broad daylight. 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."

He added, "My hope now is that the victim is able to move on from these deeply traumatic events and start to rebuild her life again."

The 14-year-old boy pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was sentenced to a three-year restraining order and a one-year referral order.