Man charged after teenager stabbed outside James Watt College in Great Barr

A man has been charged after a teenager was stabbed outside James Watt College on Wednesday.

The 16-year-old was injured at around 2:25pm on 27 September, and has since been discharged from hospital after being treated.

Vacoy Farrell, 19, was arrested on Saturday and has since been charged with wounding and possessing a bladed weapon on educational premises.

Another 16-year-old was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of wounding but has since been released on conditional bail.

The college, in Great Barr, is part of Birmingham Metropolitan College and offers vocational courses (BTECs) for ages 16-19, apprenticeships, as well as full and aprt-time courses for adults.

Detective Inspector Daniel Jarratt, from West Midlands Police, said; “We take knife crime extremely seriously, particularly on or around educational premises where young people should feel safe.

“We are continuing to take a robust approach to incidents of this nature and urge anyone with any information who we’ve not yet spoken with, to get in contact.”

Farrell is due to appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court today, Monday 2 October.

Randeep Sami, Vice Principal of James Watt College said in a statement; “This incident shocked us all as it is against everything that we believe as a college community. Sadly, knife crime nationally is an ever-present risk, and we are doing all we can to ensure the safety of students and staff.

"Neither victim nor the alleged individual that has been arrested and charged are students at the College. We will continue to work with several agencies and community groups on preventative measures. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family at this time.”

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