Teen who tried to murder 16-year-old in Livingston knife attack detained for four years

A teenager who attempted to murder a 16-year-old in a knife attack has been ordered to be detained for four years.

The attacker launched an assault on the victim with others after chasing him in Livingston, in West Lothian.

The victim had a knife brandished towards him and was repeatedly punched and kicked on the head and body, resulting in him falling to the ground.

He was then repeatedly struck on the body with a knife, resulting in serious injury to the youth.

His attacker, who was aged 15 at the time, had already carried out a knife crime in Livingston months before when he grabbed a younger boy and demanded cash and his mobile phone.

He was aged 14 when he hit the victim on the legs causing him to fall to the ground before threatening to stab him and robbing him of a phone.

A judge told the teenager at the High Court in Edinburgh: “I am aware a custodial sentence should only be imposed when the court is satisfied no other sentence is appropriate.”

Lord Weir said he took into account “the very serious nature of both offences”. He said of the attempted murder charge: “You used a substantial knife to inflict serious injury as part of the assault when he was on the ground.”

The judge ordered that following a four year period of detention the teenager should be under close supervision in the community for a further three years.

During that time he will be on licence and can be recalled to custody if he breaches its terms.

The teenager earlier admitted assaulting and robbing his first victim of a mobile phone on November 16 in 2024 in Livingston.

He also pleaded guilty to committing the murder bid on his second victim on March 9 last year in the Carmondean area of the West Lothian town.

Defence counsel Wendy Culross said both offences were traumatic and the teenager now said they should never have happened.

She said he was a very young man who has the capacity for rehabilitation.