Colchester teen sliced boy's scalp with blade in Harwich attack

The 16-year-old defendant, who the Gazette cannot name for legal reasons, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court today. 

He had been arrested after injuring a youngster with 12-inch blade in Harwich on July 7 this year which resulted in him suffering a head injury. 

According to a community nurse, he inflicted a “five-inch long cut to the scalp” of his victim.

Luckily, he did not receive any injuries to the skull or brain but had to be treated at a hospital, where the wound was glued and sewn up with six stitches.

Prior to the attack, a witness is said to have seen the defendant wearing a grey tracksuit and balaclava, which she described as a black scarf.

She grew suspicious of the warm-looking outfit given time of year before seeing him pull out a weapon he had hidden in his trousers. 

It was later revealed to be a 12-inch blade. 

Following his arrest, the teenager appeared before Colchester Magistrates’ Court and was convicted of unlawfully and maliciously wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm as well as threatening a person with a blade or sharply pointed object.

Due to the seriousness of the offence the sentencing took place at Chelmsford Crown Court. 

Huda Musa, mitigating, highlighted the defendant was still a child.

They also stressed the teenager had not missed any curfews or instructions imposed by the magistrates court by back in August. 

At the hearing, the defendant had been ordered to comply with the Youth

Offending Team, not to leave a set location, not enter Harwich and to oblige to a daily curfew. 

Judge Samantha Cohen considered the defendant’s age in the final sentencing and announced a more lenient sentence of two and a half years to be served in a youth detention centre.

She emphasised that in the case of an adult offender, this could have been extended to five years. 

Additionally, the weapon involved in the offence must be forfeited and destroyed.