Boy stabbed teenager with machete over nos in Bournemouth

The 16-year-old was found hiding under a mattress by police following the knife attack in Old Christchurch Road, a court heard.

He slashed and stabbed at his victim following a struggle over a nitrous oxide (nos) canister, leaving “large gaping” wounds which required stitches.

Bournemouth Crown Court heard how the teen, who is from Poole and cannot be named for legal reasons, was in the town centre with friends inhaling nos via balloons on Saturday, May 13.

Rob Welling, prosecuting, said the boy came across an older teenage boy and a girl who had also been inhaling the substance.

Police in Old Christchurch Road after stabbing on May 13, 2023. (Image: Newsquest)

The defendant and his group began walking with the other boy “apparently in a friendly way” before their meeting took a turn for the worst outside the former House of Fraser store.

Mr Welling said the victim tried to grab the nitrous oxide canister from the defendant, who responded by pulling a “machete-like” knife from his tracksuit bottoms.

“For reasons only known to [the defendant], it is clear that he armed himself with a very large knife,” Mr Welling said.

CCTV footage played to the court at a sentencing hearing on July 24 showed the shirtless victim fleeing and falling over after being stabbed twice.

Injuries sustained were a large slash wound to the lower back and a stab wound to the abdomen.

Mr Welling said numerous members of the public witnessed the incident, with one woman left “so scared she retreated into a nearby takeaway”.

Police in Old Christchurch Road after stabbing on May 13, 2023. (Image: Newsquest)

At least one young child was also reported as being in the area at the time.

The defendant was arrested on May 17, after being found by police hiding under a mattress.

He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

Edward Warren, mitigating, said the boy had a history of exploitation by “sophisticated offenders” and that carrying knives in public had become “something he was expected to do by the people exploiting him”.

He also said the youngster was remorseful for the attack but felt threatened when the older teen went for the canister.

“He is a bright young man, an articulate young man, he is a young man with prospects,” Mr Warren told the court.

“He is coming towards seeing that this sort of behaviour has got to stop.”

Bournemouth Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Sentencing, Judge Susan Evans KC said she accepted the initial actions by the victim were “aggressive”, but that the stabbing “went beyond reasonable self-defence”.

She said: “It must have been a very sharp weapon because I’ve seen the injury it caused.

“You delivered a number of slashes and stabs towards [the victim]. You pursued him, he was not armed and you left him with a gaping wound.

“It was shocking and distressing for members of the public to have to witness.”

The 16-year-old was sentenced to an 18-month detention and training order.