Derbyshire teen sent to young offender institution after girl’s stabbing ordeal in knife-point raid shared on Snapchat

Nottingham Crown Court heard Jack Smith, of Penfold Way, Morton, near Alfreton, and his accomplice were masked and carrying knives when they burst into her communal living room on May 24, 2020, at 1.25am.

The court was shown phone footage, taken by Smith, of his 17-year-old victim as she cowered in the corner while he threatened and shouted questions at her.

Sarah Slater, prosecuting, said Smith, who was aged just 16 at the time, stabbed her, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the floor, where he repeatedly kicked, slapped and punched her.

He encouraged his accomplice to ‘kick her in the head’ and told him he would be a coward if he did not.

“If you move, I will kill you,” Smith shouted, before stealing two mobile phones, as well as £130 in cash, and warning her she would be killed if she told anyone.

When the raiders went upstairs to search the property, in Kirkby, she tried to contact someone through an Xbox. She was found on the floor with blood on her face, cuts on her arms and two black eyes.

He later shared one of the videos on Snapchat, enabling police to identify his accomplice.

Smith, now 19, denied all involvement and only admitted aggravated burglary in May this year.

Shannon English, mitigating, said Smith has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning difficulties.

She told the court he endured a violent and traumatic childhood, and drew attention to the caution his 15-year-old accomplice received.

Sentencing, Judge Nirmal Shant KC told Smith: “This must have been a terrifying incident. You were the leader in this offence.

“This has had a devastating impact on her. She has had to leave her home. She has been left with a scar and a profound impact on her mental health.

“It's plain you have cognitive difficulties that lie just short of disability, but none of them caused you to do this.”

Sentencing him as if he was 16, the judge reduced the custodial sentence from 11 years to four years and eight months in a young offender institution.