Debt row sparked teenage girl’s machete attack

Thursday 20 June 2024

A teenage girl who attacked a male outside his home with a machete – leaving him fearing he might die – has been given a one-year custodial sentence by Jersey’s Royal Court.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, turned up at her victim's house last year with the weapon.

The Royal Court heard yesterday that the pair had been rowing over money the victim had lent to the girl which she had refused to pay back. The pair exchanged what were described as “hostile messages” disagreeing over the debt ahead of the attack.

Two days before the assault, the teenage girl called the police and made a complaint that the victim had taken her mobile phone and attempted to sell it online.

On the night of the attack, the girl confronted the victim at his front door, holding the machete. The victim described her as having gone “ballistic”, shouting, swearing and threatening to kill him.

While outside the flat, she was claimed to have “swung” the machete in the male’s direction, making threats to kill and using abusive language towards him.

The court heard that the victim grabbed the machete with both hands. He told the girl to let go and said that she was hurting him.

The girl spun the machete whilst the victim was holding the blade, causing serious injuries to both hands.

The male managed to wrestle the machete from the teenager and threw it inside his home.

He went inside and an ambulance was called as he was losing a lot of blood and could not feel his hands.

The court heard that the victim thought he was going to die.

He was left with what police described as "long-lasting scars and injuries".

Armed police were sent to the girl’s home to arrest her.

When they called out to her, she left the property with her hands above her head and an officer began to arrest her.

Before the officer was able to caution her, the court heard that the girl “dropped to the floor and donkey-kicked” him. The officer did not wish to make a complaint in respect of this.

The teenager had to be restrained by police. She threatened to kill the officers and “smash your face off that wall”.

When the girl’s home was searched, police found several areas of blood on the front door and bathroom door, blood-stained clothes, and a bank card in the name of the victim.

The girl answered “no comment” to all questions during police interview.

The machete used in the assault was later recovered from the victim’s house.

It was found to belong to the victim but had been stolen by his attacker around two weeks before the incident.

During forensic examination, the victim’s blood was detected on the cutting edge of the weapon and on the teen girl’s trousers.

The teenage girl appeared in the Royal Court in April where she pleaded guilty to grave and criminal assault.

She admitted that she was wielding the machete at the time of the incident, but denied intending to use it to cause harm.

However, the court determined that this would not make a material difference to the girl's sentence.

Today, the Royal Court sentenced the teenager to a one-year custodial sentence, to be served at Greenfields Youth Centre.

She was also given a three-year restraining order.

The Deputy Bailiff, Robert MacRae, presided over the case, sitting with Jurats Karen Le Cornu and Michael Berry.