JAILED: Bailed teenager stabbed homeless man in Wolverhampton subway

George Smith ran after Charlie Mattox and stabbed him in the back, later telling a probation officer: 'I should have cut him deeper,' a judge was told.

The attacker - 17 at the time and 19 now - struck as the victim walked through a subway near the Wolverhampton city centre roundabout where he had pitched the tent in which he lived, it was said.

Mr Peter McCartney, prosecuting, told the city's Crown Court: "He heard footsteps behind him and a woman shouting: 'Do it.'

"He turned to see the defendant who lunged at him before he had time to escape, stabbing him in the lower left back close to his vertebrae.

"He felt immense pain and went into a nearby takeaway restaurant for assistance."

Stitches

Luckily the blade did not strike any important organ in the body and Mr Mattox needed six stitches to close the wound.

The defendant was arrested not long afterwards while sitting outside the Billy Wright pub in Princess Street, Wolverhampton.

He later told a probation officer that he should have 'cut him deeper,' revealed the prosecutor.

Smith maintained that he had been goaded into the attack by two unnamed women.

Mr Mattox said later: "I was upset and angry, in real pain and shock."

Previous convictions

The defendant had previous convictions for theft and robbery committed during June and July 2017 and the stabbing took place on July 7 while he was on bail for the theft, disclosed Mr McCartney.

Mr Gurdeep Garcha, defending, conceded that the victim was vulnerable but added that Smith had been in a 'bad place' and 'something of a lost soul' during those two months.

He continued: "Not only was he chronologically very young at the time, he was also immature.

"This was displayed by him being egged on by colleagues and being stupid enough not to stop in his tracks and think what he was doing until it was too late. Now he wishes he had not done it."

Smith, from Armstrong Drive, Whitmore Reans, admitted wounding with intent and was sent to a Young Offenders Institution by Recorder Greg Pryce who told him: "You made unconcerned and callous comments after the incident which was premeditated since you had the weapon with you."

The item used to inflict the injury has not been found.