A schoolgirl who slashed an Italian musician across the neck outside West Kirby Concourse has been jailed for three years.
Putting her behind bars, the judge told the girl, who is now 16: “There was a real danger that the victim could have died.”
Her 28-year-old victim, who was injured when she produced a folding knife after he and her group of friends exchanged words, has had his outlook on life changed as a result of the unexpected attack.
“He is worried that he almost died and he now feels deluded and frightened by his fellow Man,” said Jonathan Rogers, prosecuting.
The girl, who has no previous convictions, had claimed that she acted in self-defence but a jury at Liverpool Crown Court rejected her story and convicted her of wounding with intent.
The court heard how the victim, a guitarist, had been in The Tap pub in Grange Road on the night in question, on 29 August last year.
He left about 9.30pm and on his way home encountered a group of teenagers, including the defendant. She alleged he asked her for a kiss – which he denies – and this led to words being exchanged, and she suddenly slashed him with the weapon from below his left ear across his neck.
He did not realise he had been cut and walked off but a friend pointed out that he was pouring with blood.
The police were called and he was rushed by ambulance to hospital where he needed stitches.
Sentencing her today, Judge David Aubrey, QC, said: “This offence is so serious the only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”
He told the girl, who cannot be identified because of her age: “What you did was to take a knife out on the streets.
“He may have said something to you that you considered inappropriate but you took the knife and slashed him across the neck causing a six centimetre wound. Fortunately it was not as serious as it might have been.”
Judge Aubrey said that CCTV footage of the incident “showed you were a woman with aggression at the time and had anger management issues.”
He added that he accepted she has made progress since the incident and has had anger management counselling.
“The court is satisfied you have learnt the error of your ways.” he told her.
He added that he recognised the impact a custodial sentence would have on her and had reduced the sentence accordingly but said that the offence had involved knife crime.
In his impact statement, the victim said if his “reflexes had been slower or more pressure applied on the blade I would not be here now.”
At night he relives the incident and often wakes up suddenly in the night. He no longer trusts people and has had to have psychological therapy but still feels anxious when he goes out. “I have lost faith in humanity,” he stated.
