Teenager jailed for attacking 16-year-old with knife

The 16-year-old victim called out “I need a word” when he saw 19-year-old Ryan Clive North in Pickering town centre, said Kate Barnes, prosecuting.

North went to the flat where he was staying, fetched a kitchen knife with a four to five inch blade and ran at the younger teenager.

In the fight that followed he repeatedly swung the knife at the younger teenager, injuring him, said Ms Barnes.

Glenn Parsons, for North said the 16-year-old had been “picking” on North.

At the time of the incident, the younger teenager had been with three of his friends.

“In his view (North’s) they go round fighting and causing trouble to people,” he said. “He (North) was surrounded and confronted”.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said he accepted the 16-year-old was “no innocent”.

“This must get out to people, young people, knives kill,” the judge said.

“It has got to get through to the kids who are carrying knives that they will go to prison. Leave ihem at home.”

North of Riverside View, Malton, pleaded guilty to attempted wounding with intent and carrying a knife in public.

He was jailed for 26 months.

Ms Barnes said the younger teenager and his friends were sitting on a wall in Market Place, Pickering at 7pm on June 5 when he saw North.

The 16-year-old wanted to speak to North about North allegedly “trying it on” with the younger teenager’s girlfriend.

“I genuinely thought I was fighting for my life,” the 16-year-old later told police about the fight.

He said his only thought was to get the knife out of North’s hand and that the incident had left him in fear of North.

Mr Parsons said North suffered from attention deficit and hyperactive disorder and depression and was on medication.

He had been training to be a tree surgeon.

Mr Parsons said “There was clearly a flashpoint developing outside” when North got to the one-room flat where he was staying and he had “impulsively” picked up the knife.

The 16-year-old had suffered a puncture wound and cuts.