Stabbed girl, 16, collapsed in street

The 16-year-old girl had gone to the home of Jack Ross in Lords Chase, Pontefract, after he invited her to play on his X-box, but he suddenly attacked her.

Michael Smith, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday that Ross who had recently spent time in hospital with mental health problems, pushed the girl on to the bed and began biting her neck and trying to lick her cheek.

He then tried to lift up her top to touch her breasts. She told him to stop and feared she was going to be raped when he exposed himself.

He put his hands around her neck and squeezed, making her feel dizzy, and when she continued to fight him off punched her in the eye.

He then went downstairs returning with a knife and began stabbing her in the neck and shoulders.

She ran downstairs screaming for help and Ross, then aged 18, asked her what he should do. He said he did not understand why he was doing what he was.

When he left her briefly she managed to get out of the house. She was holding a tea towel to her neck to stem the blood and collapsed nearby. Fortunately a nurse saw her and went to her aid.

She was taken to Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, where she was treated for wounds to her head, ear, neck, shoulders and hand. She needed two operations for tendon damage to her hand and described Ross laughing at her as she was bleeding.

Ross, now 19, who admitted sexual assault and wounding with intent was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection.

He was ordered to serve a minimum of two-and-a-half years but the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he anticipated it would be much longer before he returned to the community.

He regretted that because of his age no treatment was being offered in a therapeutic setting.