A 14-year-old boy accused of stabbing a 56-year-old man on Barnfield Road, Southampton on Tuesday 27 October 2020, was on trial last week for attempted murder at Southampton Crown Court.
The jury was unable to reach a verdict, and therefore formally entered a not guilty verdict.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will instead be sentenced on February 25 for section 18 grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed weapon which he pleaded guilty to at a previous hearing.
This is following an incident that took place on Tuesday 27 October, where a 56-year-old man sustained two stab wounds during an altercation with two teenagers in Barnfield Road, Southampton.
Prior to the incident, the man was indoors with his wife when a brick and a slab of concrete were thrown through windows of their property. The man went outside to see what was going on when an altercation took place, during which he received two deep stab wounds to his neck and stomach after the boy mistook him for someone else. The boy had gone out armed with a blade to seek revenge following a dispute over a social media post, however, he targeted the wrong address and the boy ended up stabbing the man, to whom he had no connection with.
Detective Sergeant Will Whale said “This case highlights the risks involved with carrying knives and the devastation it can cause, not only to those involved but also to their friends, families and the wider community. My thoughts are with them all today.”
The 14-year-old will be sentenced for section 18 grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed weapon at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday 25 February.
The second teenager, a boy also aged 14, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon at a previous hearing. He appeared at Southampton Youth Court on Monday, 30 November 2020 for sentence and was given a 12-month referral order.
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