A masked teenager who armed himself with a machete to confront a man during a dispute over money has been detained. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, hid the blade under his clothing before meeting the victim, who had come to collect cash he was owed.
The Incident
The incident occurred on October 4 last year in the Black Country. The victim, who was a friend of the boy's mother and had stayed with her for some time, was expecting payment after the mother used his bank details to access between £400 and £500. When the victim arrived at the family's flat in Dudley, he did not enter but instead met the boy downstairs.
The youth was wearing dark clothing, including a balaclava, and was armed with a machete. Judge Michael Chambers KC noted that the events were captured on CCTV. An argument ensued, with the boy refusing to fetch his mother. The victim attempted to headbutt the teenager, who then pulled out the machete from under his clothing and swung it at the man, hitting his face and arm before fleeing with the weapon.
Injuries and Aftermath
The victim sustained serious wounds to his nose, head, right arm, and wrist. However, the court heard that it did not appear he sought further treatment, and the reason for this remains unclear. The machete has never been recovered.
The teenager was arrested on October 29 and later admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed article.
Sentencing and Background
Judge Chambers remarked on the graphic violence shown in the video recording. The court heard that the boy had high safety and wellbeing concerns, with adverse childhood experiences including being placed in care and witnessing domestic violence. "Clearly, on any view, you had a poor childhood," the judge said, noting that the teenager had been in numerous placements, most of which broke down.
However, the judge acknowledged positive signs of progress in recent months. Despite this, he emphasised the seriousness of using a machete repeatedly to inflict significant wounds. The defendant was handed a 16-month detention and training order on Friday, May 1.
