‘Dangerous individual’: Wigan man jailed for life over ‘random’ stabbing of 12-year-old girl as she played in street

RANDOM ATTACK: Lawrence Wood - jailed

By Matt Simpson

A Wigan man was sentenced to life imprisonment today after the brutal and ‘random’ stabbing of a 12-year-old girl as she played in the street.

Lawrence Wood, 31, from Lincoln Place, Marsh Green, Wigan, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced by the same court to life in jail and ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years.

Wood had approached the girl at random as she played in the street and stabbed her twice in the back. He then proceeded to walk away as she sought help.

Detective Constable Richard Willoughby, from Wigan CID, said: “Today, this dangerous individual has rightly been put behind bars for a long time where he can pose no further threat to others in the community.”

The incident occurred on Stranraer Road in Marsh Green, Wigan, on Wednesday February 8. Police were called to the scene at 4.15pm after it had been reported that a girl had been stabbed in the street.

After an initial police search of the area for Wood proved fruitless, he then handed himself in to a local police station later that day and had the knife used in his jacket pocket.

Detective Constable Willoughby also said: “Clearly this is a horrifying and random attack on an innocent young girl who was simply out playing in the street with her younger sibling.

“Although this young girl has recovered physically from her injuries, this has been an extremely distressing time for both her and her family. I hope today they can now begin to move on from their ordeal.”

The knife had punctured one of the girl’s lungs for which she received hospital treatment and has since recovered from.

Wood was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today.

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