UK: Schoolboy accused of knifing strangers to stand trial

London: A 16-year-old schoolboy accused of knifing two strangers to death within three months of each other is to stand trial in November, the Old Bailey heard on Monday.

The teenager, who cannot be named, allegedly stabbed Saudi student Nahid Almanea 16 times and left her to die on a nature trail in Essex in June 2014.

The boy, from Colchester, is also accused of stabbing 33-year-old dad James Attfield 102 times in Castle Park, Colchester, on March 29 last year.

He was arrested in May this year on the Salary Brook nature trail, also in Colchester, where PhD student Ms Almanea, 31, died, and was allegedly in possession of a knife.

The boy, who is currently being held at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution, was due to appear in court this morning.

But he was late being produced in court and the hearing went ahead in his absence.

Justice Spence ordered a trial for November 2 this year, and said the teen must appear at Southwark Crown Court on October 9 for a plea and case management hearing.

The teenager is accused of two counts of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Almanea was wearing an abaya when she was attacked on the nature trail on June 17 last year.

Attfield had already suffered a brain injury after being hit by a car four years before his death.

He was found fighting for his life in Castle Park on March 29 last year, but died later in hospital.

The trial is due to be heard at Chelmsford Crown Court, in front of Mr Justice Sweeney.

— The writer is a journalist based in London