Girl on stabbing charge after burglary goes wrong

A 15-year-old girl was one of two young women arrested after a man was stabbed during a home invasion in Hamilton overnight.

The teenager and her 22-year-old female accomplice allegedly stabbed the 27-year-old man in the back after he caught them in his Shannon Place, Nawton home just before 11pm.

The women ran off with a laptop but one of them was caught by neighbours who heard the commotion and held her until police arrived.

Sergeant Pete Whittaker said police caught the other woman shortly after. Both were charged with burglary and aggravated wounding. The laptop was also recovered.

The victim was at home with his wife and young child at the time of the assault. He was taken to Waikato Hospital by St John Ambulance with a minor puncture wound to the middle of his back.

His injuries were not life threatening and he was discharged from hospital early this morning, a St John Ambulance spokeswoman said.

The incident came on the same day a Hamilton District Court judge highlighted the dangers of youths carrying weapons.

Judge Denise Clark yesterday sentenced Benjamin Sweeney to 80 hours' community work after the 19-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an offensive weapon.

The charge related to an incident on January 6 this year in which Sweeney took a kitchen knife from home before confronting a group of Hamilton youths he said had thrown bottles at him.

Judge Clark described Sweeney's actions as "unacceptable and foolish", saying it was not appropriate to carry weapons of any kind.

Judge Clark's warning followed comments from Principal Youth Court judge Andrew Becroft last week.

He was concerned about young people with knives and the potential for tragedy.

- © Fairfax NZ News