A 16-year-old boy was today (Monday) found guilty of attempting to murder another youth of the same age in Holbeach.
Jurors took less than three hours to return their guilty verdict after a six day trial at Lincoln Crown Court.
Judge Simon Hirst adjourned sentence until March 3 but warned the boy, who showed little reaction as the guilty verdict was returned, that he faced a custodial sentence.
“You have been found guilty by the jury of attempted murder,” Judge Hirst told the boy.
“Before I pass sentence on you I will need a report from the youth offending service and any update on the psychiatric report that your barrister feels necessary.”
Judge Hirst added: “The sentence is one of custody. The only issue is length and you will find that out on March 3.”
Judge Hirst also asked for an updated impact statement from the 16-year-old victim.
Jurors heard the 16-year-old victim was left for dead after the other youth carried out a violent attack on a piece of land adjacent to the William Stukeley primary school.
The victim was discovered with wounds to his throat and chest after police were called to the scene during the early hours of July 28.
Stuart Lody, prosecuting, said the boy was wounded by other the youth after he passed out from drinking vodka which was bought by an adult from a local shop.
Giving evidence, the 16-year-old defendant claimed he had no memory of the attack.
The boy, who can not be named because of his age, said his last memory was placing the other boy on the ground near a red bench after sharing the vodka with him and a teenage girl.
But jurors heard the defendant made a FaceTime video call to another teenage girl from the bench area in which he could be seen holding an unbroken beer bottle.
He also made a threat to slit the other boy’s throat and told the girl “his future is in your hands, “the court heard.
A short time later at 1.22am, the girl received a message which read “it’s on you.”
The victim was taken to the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham and placed in an induced coma after he was located lying face down next to a hedge.
Jurors heard the defendant had a history of being referred to mental health services and he claimed to have carried out a previous assault on a friend which he also could not remember.
Under cross-examination from Mr Lody, the boy denied a suggestion that his explanation of blackouts was a convenient reason to avoid taking responsibility for what he had done on this occasion.
The 16-year-old defendant had admitted a charge of unlawful wounding but denied attempted murder.
He was remanded into to secure local authority care until March 3.
