30/06/2006

Girl sentenced over school slashing attack

A 13-year-old girl who slashed the face of a classmate with a razor blade has been given a two-year supervision order.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of unlawful wounding at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday. However, she was cleared of the more serious charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court heard how the girl attacked Shanni Taylor, 13, during an English class at Myrtle Springs School in Sheffield last October.

She slashed the schoolgirl across the face with a razor blade three times. Shanni needed 30 stitches after the attack and was left permanently scarred.

However, the jury was also told that Shanni had beaten up the defendant the day before the attack. A teacher who witnessed the attack said that Shanni had repeatedly punched the girl in the head in front of more than 100 pupils and described it as "horrendous".

Both girls were 12 at the time of the attack.

The court heard how the defendant, who had an extremely low IQ, came from Somalia, where disputes between women are often settled by scratching each other's faces.

The girl told the court that she was sorry for what she had done and had only wanted to scare Shanni.

Judge Alan Goldsack QC said that he did not have power to impose a custodial sentence on the girl as she had been convicted of the lesser charge.

(KMcA/GB)


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