A 16-year-old boy has been handed a five-year prison sentence for a "frenzied" daylight stabbing that left a man fighting for his life outside Barnes railway station.
A Sustained Attack in Broad Daylight
The violent incident occurred at around 7am on September 26 last year. The Inner London Crown Court heard that the victim and the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were initially talking outside the entrance to platform one.
CCTV evidence later showed the pair walking into a nearby wooded area. Moments later, the victim ran out, shouting that he had been stabbed. The attacker then pursued the injured man, pushed him to the ground, and stabbed him several more times in a sustained assault.
DNA Evidence and CCTV Track Down Attacker
After the attack, the court was told the teenager collected his bicycle from the station platform and fled. He left his victim bleeding on the pavement, where the man was later discovered by horrified morning commuters.
Police and paramedics rushed the victim to hospital where he underwent lifesaving surgery for four stab wounds and multiple internal injuries.
An investigation by British Transport Police (BTP) used crucial CCTV footage which captured the attacker returning home after the violent episode. DNA evidence from a pair of headphones found at the scene provided a definitive match, leading officers directly to the teenager's address.
"Horrific Levels of Violence" Condemned
On Friday, December 12, the teenager was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm. He received a five-year custodial sentence and will spend an additional three years and four months on licence upon his release.
British Transport Police Detective Sergeant Marc Farmer said: "This teenager acted with horrific levels of violence in a sustained and frenzied attack, which he launched in broad daylight in front of horrified morning commuters. It is only by sheer luck that we weren’t dealing with a murder investigation."
He added: "There is absolutely no place for violence on the railway network, especially not the sort of mindless violence this teenager carried out. If you ever need us or see something that concerns you, you can text us discreetly on 61016."
