Youth left blind in eye after Walsall stabbing by 14-year-old
A 14-year-old has been locked up for more than three years for stabbing a youth near Walsall, blinding the victim in one eye.
The defendant pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to an offence of wounding with intent and an offence of possession of a kitchen knife.
Judge Michael Chambers KC told Wolverhampton Crown Court on Thursday that the incident related to a "pre-arranged pre-planned" fight at 2.30am on August 7.
Sentencing the defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, the judge said: "You went out armed with a knife and committed a very bad offence. That is wounding with intent to cause really serious harm.
"You stabbed a 13-year-old to the eye causing him to lose sight and become blind and that in any view is a very bad offence for anyone, let alone a 14-year-old.
"It is quite clear that there was a background to to this incident. It is quite clear that there was ill feeling from you. Whatever you thought, it didn't justify and excuse what happened."
The court heard that when the victim swung a punch first, the defendant pulled a knife from his bag and stabbed him.
Mr Balbir Singh, mitigating, said tests showed the defendant had a mental age of 10 and had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He added that he was "remorseful".
For wounding the defendant was given 40 months in custody on Thursday. There was no separate penalty for knife possession. He must serve half the term before being released with support.
