A 14-year-old boy has been sentenced for a knife attack on a teenage girl in a Cirencester shop earlier this year.
The teenage boy from Wiltshire had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to wounding with intent, inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
He appeared at Bristol Crown Court, sitting as a youth court, today (Monday 21 September) where he was given a 12-month referral order and a three-year restraining order.
The court heard that the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had become obsessed with a 14-year-old girl in his school.
After she had rejected his advances in December 2025, he begun to use fake social media accounts to send her messages.
Police were called to Upper Churnside in Cirencester at around 11.15am on Sunday 15 March this year following a report of a stabbing.
The boy had been waiting for the girl near to a shop and had entered it armed with a kitchen knife in his jeans pocket after seeing her go into it to buy a drink.
He grabbed her forcefully and struck her repeatedly with the knife.
The shopkeeper, who was in the store at the time, attempted to grab the boy and pull him away. The boy then struck the shopkeeper in the back with the knife, causing him to flee.
During this, the girl was able to run out of the shop and raise the alarm at a neighbouring property.
As a result of the attack, the 14-year-old girl sustained cuts to her neck, hands and face, and bruising to her back. The shopkeeper sustained a cut to his back.
The boy fled the scene but was found by police close to the location. He was searched and a knife was found in his jeans pocket. He also had a fresh cut to his hand.
In a Victim Personal Statement read to the court, the girl said: “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.
“I was in so much shock after it happened. I didn’t leave the house for a couple of days. I never thought something like this would ever happen to me, or anyone I know at all.
“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.
“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.”
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Ian Fletcher, Head of Serious and Complex Investigations, said: “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.
“My hope now is that the victim is able to move on from these deeply traumatic events and start to rebuild her life again.”