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29
Mar 2023
Beckwithshaw attempted murder accused told boy 'this needs to happen'
Warning: this article contains information some people may find upsetting.
A man accused of slitting a boy’s throat told the youngster “this needs to happen” before cutting his neck, a trial has heard.
The man from Beckwithshaw tried to do the same to a young girl who was “hysterical” and had blood on her shirt and cuts on her fingers, a jury at Leeds Crown Court heard.
The accused, who is in his 40s, is charged with two counts of attempted murder.
He appeared for the second day of his trial yesterday when jurors heard harrowing testimony from two workmen who found the children, one of whom had a gaping neck wound and the other bloodied fingers.
One of the workmen said the seriously injured boy’s neck wound was so wide “it was like a Cheshire- cat smile”.
His colleague said he initially thought it was a “Halloween prank” at first but he “quickly realised it wasn’t” when he saw the extent of the boy’s injury.
The witness said:
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The workman called to his colleague to get something to stem the child’s bleeding and he wrapped a hoodie around the boy’s neck.
The witness called an ambulance and told them:
He said the young girl who was also bleeding was “very distraught and upset”.
Alleged victims 'really distraught'
Police arrived, followed shortly afterwards by an ambulance crew. The children were put in the ambulance and taken to hospital.
The witness’ colleague, who was also named in court, said he heard “what seemed like a kid’s scream or shout”.
He said he saw the young boy holding his neck to stem the flow of blood.
He added:
He said he saw a young girl “with blood on her…top”.
He added:
She told the witness that the man who had cut the boy’s throat had also “tried to get at her as well”.
He added:
He added:
He said the children seemed “petrified” and that the girl told him she heard the man say “this needs to happen” before launching the alleged attack.
He said that the street seemed eerily quiet at the time and that he and his colleague were the only ones who went to help.
'Paranoia and drinking'
A female witness for the prosecution who knew the accused man said he had mental health problems including bouts of paranoia and that his drinking made this worse.
Prosecuting barrister Robert Stevenson alleged that the accused slit the boy’s throat with a 10-inch serrated knife during the incident in June last year.
Neither of the children can be named for legal reasons.
The trial continues.
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