Man researched Southport killings earlier than stabbing nine-year-old woman | EUROtoday

A person researched the Southport killings and different baby murders earlier than he tried to homicide a nine-year-old woman taking part in outdoors his dwelling.

Jordan Wilkes, 29, was discovered responsible at Bournemouth Crown Court of the assault which occurred within the stairwell of the flats the place he lived along with his mom in Glider Close, Christchurch, Dorset.

Berenice Mulvanny, prosecuting, informed the courtroom that the sufferer and her buddy had been taking part in on the steps when Wilkes got here out of his flat on August 20, 2024. Wilkes approached the 2 children whereas concealing a folding pocket knife.

He then stabbed the sufferer within the neck, chest and knee whereas grabbing her by the arm and hair.

Wilkes tore a clump of hair out from the woman, which she urged he saved as a “trophy” till he was informed to throw it away by his mom.

The women managed to run away from the defendant and banged on doorways of flats within the constructing till a household took them in and taken care of them till the emergency providers arrived, the courtroom heard.

The sufferer was taken to hospital the place she was handled for her “serious” stab wounds, however the courtroom heard that she can be left scarred for all times.

The wound to the neck narrowly missed main arteries which might have led to deadly blood loss if that they had been minimize, the courtroom heard.

Ms Mulvanny stated {that a} search of the defendant’s dwelling discovered quite a lot of knives, a number of of which had been hidden across the premises.

Analysis of his cell phone revealed 69 recordsdata regarding YouTube movies, information articles and podcasts centered on murders and baby killings.

Ms Mulvanny stated this included the so-called “Valentine’s Day massacre” at a highschool in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 wherein 17 folks have been killed.

He had additionally appeared up the rioting within the aftermath of the homicide of three women at a dance class in Southport in July 2024, and a day after the killings he had clicked on a hyperlink for a neighborhood dance class, the courtroom heard.

Ms Mulvanny added that at 1.25am on the day of his assault on the 2 women, Wilkes had additionally appeared up the case of 14-year-old Aiden Fucci, who stabbed to loss of life 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey in St Johns County, Florida, in May 2021.

The prosecutor additionally informed the courtroom that Wilkes had been given a 14-month jail sentence, suspended for 2 years, for the assault inflicting precise bodily hurt of an eight-year-old boy in a “brutal” assault on April 1 2016.

She described how Wilkes had punched and kicked the boy earlier than stamping on his head, inflicting his sufferer to lose consciousness, as a result of he had change into angered on the teenager taking part in on some bins.

In October 2020, he was suspected to have set mild to a pram outdoors his flat and in September 2022 he had shouted and sworn at a baby with particular academic wants who had rang his doorbell as a prank.

Sentencing Wilkes to 30 years in custody with an prolonged five-year interval on licence for tried homicide and possession of a knife, Judge William Mousley KC stated on to the defendant: “You are a dangerous offender, there is a significant risk of you causing serious harm to others in the future.”

He added: “This was a very serious offence, as an attempt to kill a nine-year-old child it was short-lived and not pre-meditated, you lost your temper.

“You had an interest in child-killing and you decided to try it out for yourself.”

The decide praised the 2 women for his or her “great bravery” stated that though the woman’s accidents have been comparatively minor, “she has suffered serious psychological harm which is continuing”.

“She is permanently and obviously scarred, the impact on her family has been very significant.”

The sufferer’s mom stated in a sufferer affect assertion learn to the courtroom that earlier than the assault her daughter had been a “happy carefree child” however had change into anxious, unable to sleep and had been recognized with post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD).

She added: “Since that day this has all changed, our entire family dynamic has changed where the innocent, bubbly, free-spirited little girl is no more.

“Ever since that man caused those injuries, she has not been the same child.”

Nick Robinson, defending, stated that Wilkes lived an “isolated” life along with his mom and explaining that with a low IQ of 72, his shopper “presents as someone much younger”.

He stated that the assault had been “unplanned and spontaneous” and added: “He is remorseful for his actions and the impact it has had physically and psychologically on the victim, her friend and their families.”

After the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Aimee Schock, of BCP CID, stated: “This was a horrific knife attack on a defenceless young girl that could easily have had fatal consequences.

“I want to thank the young victim in this case and her friend for the courage they have shown in giving evidence and helping to build a case against Jordan Wilkes, which ultimately led to his conviction for attempted murder.

“Thanks to the swift response of the emergency services to this shocking incident, we were not only able to quickly provide immediate first aid to the young girl for her injuries but also arrested the defendant shortly after his violent attack.”