A YOUTH accused of stabbing another teenager at Oswestry’s Brynhafod Park in 2022 will be tried this summer in an adult court.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will face a four-day trial for the incident on August 16, 2022, and is now the sole defendant after charges were dropped against two other defendants – Amy Lewis and Jack Davison.

Judge Anthony Lowe, sitting at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday, February 22, said that a June 3 trial date ‘must take priority’ over all other trials that week in order that should the youth be convicted, that takes place prior to the defendant’s 18th birthday.

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He said: “I’m satisfied that had he gone in front of a youth court and was convicted then he would have faced longer than the standard two-year detention order.

“This trial has to take priority over any other trial because of a) the seriousness and b) the timing and that he has had two other trials moved.

“It is important that in the event of a conviction, it is vital it is before he is 18 but I agree with the defence that a judge would look at the fact that it happened when he was 16."

He told the defendant: “It is the jury who decide, not me or the barristers and this conversation is all about legal information.

“No-one has decided your guilt.”

Earlier, prosecutor Kevin Jones told the judge that despite the defendant’s age, the case must be heard in a Crown Court, as opposed to a Youth Court, because the alleged offence was ‘grave crime’.

Debra White, defending, called for a trial date to be confirmed for as early as possible because her client had been in the criminal justice system since August 2022 which she said was ‘unacceptable’.

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She called on Judge Lowe to ensure that any potential verdict in this case would come before the defendant turned 18.

Mr Jones also told the court that the claimant ‘discontinued’ the case against the previous co-defendants and no evidence was offered against them.

The trial will begin on Monday, June 3, at Shrewsbury Crown Court.