- A 14-year-old boy stabbed a girl multiple times in a UK shop after rejection and obsession
- The boy used fake social media accounts to repeatedly contact the girl after she refused him
- He also stabbed a shopkeeper who intervened to help the girl escape during the attack
A 14-year-old boy in the UK stabbed a girl multiple times inside a shop after becoming obsessed with her and repeatedly trying to contact her following her rejection of his advances, according to police. The teenager, from Wiltshire, had asked the girl out in December 2025, but she turned him down. He later began contacting her through fake social media accounts, a court in Bristol was told.
On March 15, the boy reportedly waited near a shop in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, and followed the girl inside while carrying a knife concealed in his jeans pocket, BBC reported.
CCTV footage shows the teenager approaching the girl before pulling out the weapon and grabbing her. He then stabbed her several times as she tried to escape through the shop. The shopkeeper intervened and attempted to pull the boy away. The teenager then stabbed the shopkeeper in the back before continuing to chase the girl through the store.
The girl eventually managed to flee the shop and raise the alarm at a neighbouring property. She suffered cuts and lacerations to her neck, face and hands, along with bruising to her back.
Police were called to Upper Churnside in Cirencester at around 11:15 am following reports of a stabbing. The boy fled the scene but was found by officers nearby shortly afterwards. A knife was recovered from his jeans pocket, and he was arrested.
The teenager later admitted wounding with intent, inflicting grievous bodily harm and possessing a bladed article in a public place.
A statement from the girl, read out in court, described the lasting impact of the attack. She said she had experienced nightmares and repeatedly relived what happened in her dreams. She also said she struggled to sleep and often felt as though someone was present in her room when she woke up.
“I'm scared and nervous anywhere that I go. Even if someone puts their hand up next to me I flinch as I don't know what they are about to do to me. I know this is as a result of the incident, as I wasn't like this before. I was in so much shock after it happened.
I didn't leave the house for a couple of days. I never thought something like this would ever happen to me, or anyone I know at all. I've been having nightmares since; I relive the incident, but in these dreams it happens in different places. I sleep in the dark, but when I wake, I constantly feel like there is a presence in the room. I can't stop thinking about it. This is going to affect my ability to trust people. I'm now getting dropped off to work…because I don't want to be outside on my own. I shouldn't have to feel like this as a teenager in my own area," she said.
A detective told the court that the shopkeeper had acted bravely by intervening and helping the girl escape. CCTV showed the staff member running towards the shop entrance and opening the door to give the teenager a chance to get out.
The boy appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Monday, September 21. He was given a one-year referral order at Gloucester Crown Court.The judge also expressed surprise that the teenager had spent three months in custody, saying that although the offences were serious, this appeared inconsistent with the usual process for youth cases.
