A Bulgarian teenager has been charged with attempted murder following a violent stabbing that left a man in his 60s fighting for his life on a golf course footpath. The victim, believed to be from Stafford, was attacked on a public footpath running through Stafford Castle golf course shortly before 7pm on May 14. He remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.
Arrest and Charges
Staffordshire Police confirmed that a 17-year-old boy, described as white and of Bulgarian nationality, was arrested on Tuesday evening. He has since been charged with attempted murder and theft from a shop. The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, is scheduled to appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre today.
A 30-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the investigation has been released with no further action taken against him.
Police Investigation
Detective Chief Inspector Ian Fitzgerald described the arrest as a 'significant development' in the investigation, which he said is continuing 'at pace'. He added: 'The victim remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. His family are being supported by our family liaison officers.'
Police had previously released CCTV footage of a suspect as they searched for the alleged attacker. A police cordon and forensic tent were set up next to a putting green near the scene of the stabbing.
Fitzgerald praised the community response, stating: 'The response from the community has been invaluable with lots of people sharing information and CCTV footage. However, I must ask people not to use AI or other software to enhance any of the images we have shared. It is incredibly harmful to our investigation, particularly when arrests have been made and legal proceedings are active.'
Police have urged the public not to speculate on the case while legal proceedings are ongoing.
