Judge lets ‘bright lad’ who stabbed girl 10 times avoid jail

[IwantToRetire]

The young offender – who cannot be named because he is under 18 – had become obsessed with the girl at his school. He began using fake social media accounts to send her messages after she rejected his advances in December last year.

One morning in March, he waited for the girl near the shop and asked her out on a date. When she said no, he followed her, with a knife in his pocket and stabbed her at least 10 times, inflicting cuts to her neck, hands and face.

Footage released by the police shows the boy chasing the girl through the store with the knife in his hand.

...

Transcripts of court hearings in the case, seen by The Telegraph, reveal that Judge Ian Lawrie KC’s principal consideration was the offender’s rehabilitation.

“You’re a bright lad – I’m going to impose a curfew,” the judge said.
“You’re not to contact directly or indirectly by any means, social media or otherwise, [the victim] and her mother, and also keep out of mischief.

“My own view is custody is the last place you should be... What I’m trying to do is find a sentence that’s best constructed to help you and give you support.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/27/teenager-stabbed-girl-judge-ian-lawrie/

And also https://archive.is/RGbaZ

Whaaaaaaaaaaat

I don't think striking him off goes nearly far enough; he should be in the dock himself and charged to try to defend his harmful personal beliefs that caused him to abuse his position to deny justice to a female victim.

How are his clearly-demonstrated views about women and girls any different in how dangerous they are than those of a would-be terrorist who is caught by Prevent? Is it purely based on the number of their potential victims, assuming the criminal who leaves with a slapped wrist doesn't go to attack 'too many'?

In fact, the latter isn't officially sanctioned, permitted and handsomely paid to promulgate the outworkings of their views; so in that respect, the judges are clearly far more harmful.

Bloody hell talk about brushing it under the carpet probably to avoid adverse publicity for the school.
Just so wrong.

I’m not sure it’s just the judge. I feel really upset it happened. Even if the boy gets more time or something the poor girl is suffering from this.

Could the girl’s parents take out a private prosecution?

I actually can't get my head round this he stabbed her 10 times.
He was 14 he could so easily have killed her. Probably luck rather than anything else that he didn't.

Here's whats messing with my head right now and the very light sentences for young boys.
There was nothing light about the sentences that were given to Jamie Bulgers killers. They were 10, primary school age children and given indefinite sentences. What would they have got if it happened now? 30 years later.

When I watched and all those accolades were being showered on it, my thought was no, this isn’t a great film opening up important conversations about the manosphere influence on teen boys (what’s happened since then? Nothing). Instead the greater likelihood is it’s going to inspire other adolescent boys to do the same.

I think sadly this is true.

I think it was earlier on on this thread that surely this is something that MNers cant do (as it had before?).

So not quite a petition but if someone has time to set up an AIBU and try and let other related threads ie not just FWR to get a response.

Supposedly, even though it is losing users, MN still has some clout in the media.

Any offers, or suggestions for wording?

This is an absolutely horrendous decision from the judge, I'm at a loss for words.