Teenager given life sentence after stabbing girl 60 times in a 'brutal unprovoked attack'
5 March 2022, 16:03 | Updated: 11 July 2022, 15:27
A 17-year-old boy has been given a life sentence for stabbing a teenage girl 60 times in a "brutal, pre-planned and unprovoked attack", police have said.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The teenager, who is unable to be named for legal reasons, attacked the girl in Sittingbourne, Kent, in July 2021, leaving her with life-threatening injuries.
He was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday to a discretionary life sentence, meaning he will serve a minimum of 10 years and, if he is then released, he will be subject to a whole life licence.
A spokesman for Kent Police said: "The victim, a teenage girl, was found seriously injured in a field off Highsted Road, near the junction with Swanstree Avenue, by a dog walker at around 7.30am on Tuesday 22 July.
"She is likely to have been laying seriously injured in the spot for at least seven hours.
"Kent Police officers were immediately deployed to the scene and were joined by crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance, who airlifted the victim to a London hospital.
"At hospital, she was found to have 60 stab wounds across her body. A total of 99 injuries were recorded by a pathologist who reviewed the case."
Read more: Russia fails to observe five-hour ceasefire for evacuation in two Ukrainian cities
Read more: Woman dies after incident involving Coastguard helicopter landing at hospital
"Numerous people who knew the offender, and the victim, identified him as a possible suspect and officers detained him later that day," the spokesman went on to say.
"A review of his phone led to detectives uncovering numerous deleted text messages which had been shared between the pair on the evening of the offence.
"Other messages saved on the phone showed he had a desire to stab the victim.
"Immediately after the offence, he also carried out internet searches to try and learn how the police investigate murders."
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber said: "The brutality inflicted on the victim of this case was abhorrent and managing this investigation has been exceptionally harrowing.
"It is worrying that someone so young could have coldly calculated carrying out this sickening attack.
"Throughout the course of our inquiries, providing the victim with the best possible support was our absolute priority.
"She has demonstrated exceptional bravery throughout and her fighting spirit is shown by the physical recovery she has made."
