Update: Girl, 15, knifes her sex abuser on Bradford doorstep after he avoids jail

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC told the 15-year-old girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, that it would be “callous and cruel” if she was locked up for the attack which happened at a house in the city last year.

In 2009 the girl gave evidence of the abuse she suffered when she was eight during a trial at Bradford Crown Court, but after the man, who can now be named 56 year-old as Zabhullah Boota, was found guilty he was sentenced to a community order with a supervision requirement.

Last year the girl, who was still only 14, turned up at Boota’s Bradford home and stabbed him in the upper abdomen after telling him:”I’m going to kill you.”

The distressed teenager later walked into a police station and told an officer that she had killed someone.

Prosecutor Heather Gilmore said the girl described Boota as “a paedophile” and said she had stabbed him in the stomach an hour ago.

The court heard today that the knife had gone through an artery supplying blood to the heart, but after undergoing surgery and spending a week in hospital, Boota was discharged.

During her police interview the girl, who was originally charged with attempted murder, explained how her life had been destroyed by the abuse she suffered.

The girl said she felt let down by the justice system because her abuser didn’t go to prison.

The teenager said that at the time of the stabbing it felt like she was “in a dream” and the next thing she remembered was going to the police station.

Last month the teenager admitted a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and today Judge Durham Hall imposed the two-year youth rehabilitation order along with a supervision requirement.

The girl’s barrister Elyas Patel confirmed that his client had felt let down by the justice system and he submitted that she had “snapped” in a few moments of utter despair and desperation.

He said the girl, who suffered from wretchedly low self-esteem and problematic behaviour, was crying out for help.

Judge Durham Hall said the girl had stabbed her abuser in the region of his heart, but mercifully she didn’t kill him.

The judge said Boota had been dealt with “somewhat leniently” when he received the community sentence in 2009, but things had changed since then.

“It is self evident that this offence was caused by, and solely relates to, the impact of the offending upon you when you were eight,” the judge told the teenager.

The judge said he had excellent reports from the youth offending team and a clinical psychologist which showed that the girl had been “damaged” and her emotional and mental state were “fragile”.

“I hope to be able to help you,” said the judge.

“There is no question of locking you up. That would be callous and cruel in the extreme.”

Boota had been handed his community order in 2010 after he was convicted at Bradford Crown Court of sexual assault and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Passing sentence, Recorder Benjamin Nolan QC said he had considered imposing a residence order requiring Boota to live somewhere other than his home because his victim still lived in the neighbourhood.

He said: “One can see that (Boota returning home) is likely to cause aggravation and distress.”

Boota was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register and was made subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order which includes a condition banning him from having any contact with the young victim.