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Teen remanded in custody following incident at Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend

12:30, 25 July 2024

updated: 14:31, 25 July 2024

A teenager being held in a mental health facility after being charged over an attack at a gurdwara in which two people were injured has been further remanded in custody.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with six offences in relation to an incident at the Sri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend on Thursday, July 11.

Police cars line the street in Gravesend on the road leading to the gurdwara on the evening of the attack
Police cars line the street in Gravesend on the road leading to the gurdwara on the evening of the attack

A disturbance was reported inside the premises and two women suffered minor injuries following an assault outside the building.

Nobody was seriously injured and police recovered a bladed weapon.

The teenager was arrested shortly after and later charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, attempted grievous bodily harm, using or threatening unlawful violence, threats to kill, threatening a person with a bladed weapon and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

His case was in court last week, although he did not appear, and magistrates heard he had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act and transferred to another part of the country.

The case was adjourned until today (July 25) when District Judge Stephen Leake heard from his solicitor, Mel Stooks, who said a preliminary mental health report which was due to be completed on the teenager had not been carried out in time for the hearing.

She apologised to the court and explained the consultant psychiatrist tasked to write it had gone on leave and others at the hospital unit where he is being held, were not qualified enough to write such reports.

During the last hearing, Ms Stooks told the court she expected the teenager to be in hospital "for the foreseeable future".

She also said a full mental health report would be carried out on the boy while he was being treated in the hospital as he was expected to remain there "for several months”.

Judge Leake told Ms Stooks a date had been found for the case to be heard at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in front of the chief magistrate on August 21.

The hearing would be held to determine if the teenager is fit to plea in relation to the charges, but to also determine whether the future hearings will be held at youth or crown court.

The teenager was again remanded into the care of the local authority accommodation team until that hearing.

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