Lymm teen threatened youths her boyfriend would stab them

Kaidee Birchall became enraged after a group of youths stole her bottles of vodka in a park and began ‘screaming threats’ that her boyfriend at the time, Sheldon Burgess, would attend and stab them.

And this is exactly what Burgess did – he ‘repeatedly’ stabbed his victim with a screwdriver.

Birchall, 18, and Burgess, 19, who are no longer a couple, appeared before Manchester Crown Square Crown Court last Friday.

Birchall pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and witness intimidation while Burgess pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to do so and having an offensive weapon in a public place.

Prosecuting, Alaric Bassano said how the stabbing took place on June 16, 2021, in Woodstock Park in Altrincham where Birchall, of Hawthorne Close, Lymm, was drinking vodka with her two friends.

He said that a group of youths took two bottles of vodka from Birchall as a ‘juvenile prank’ to which she ‘extremely overreacted’.

The court heard how Birchall, who was 16 at the time, began screaming and threatened the group: “I’ll get Sheldon over here, he will stab you.”

Birchall then phoned Burgess and told him to ‘bring something with him’ which Mr Bassano said was a reference to him arming himself with a weapon.

When Burgess, of Manchester Road, Partington, arrived with a friend, he was armed as requested by Birchall.

Mr Bassano said: “Sheldon Burgess threateningly confronted the other males and Kaidee Birchall appeared pleased, observing ‘what you gonna do now he’s here?’”

Burgess was threatening to stab the youths and pulled out a weapon – prompting one of them to call their brother, who was later stabbed, to the scene.

The court heard that Burgess told the group ‘I don’t want to have to do this’ and ‘don’t make me do this’ before shouting to his friend ‘go and get my machete off the couch’.

As a result, his friend was kicked off his bike which resulted in a fight.

Mr Bassano explained how the victim and Burgess then ‘came together’ where he ‘threw punches’.

Manchester Crown Square Crown Court. Image: Google Maps

The victim, a man in his 20s, then grabbed Burgess by the waist in an attempted rugby tackle – where Burgess, who was 17 at the time, began to stab him with a screwdriver.

Police and paramedics were then called to the scene.

Birchall’s charge of witness intimidation was formed after she threatened her former friend, who was a witness of the stabbing, at a Warrington college on their first day.

The victim was standing outside the college when Birchall walked over to her and said in a ‘menacing tone’, ‘see what happens to you’.

“Leaving the victim in no doubt that this was intended as a threat in light of her status as a witness to the assault,” added Mr Bassano.

Birchall was excluded from the college as a result.

Reading medical evidence from a neurosurgeon, Mr Bassano told the court how a CT scan taken after the assault showed how the victim’s head wound had penetrated the brain deeply with haemorrhage to the brain itself and that it was a ‘life-threatening’ injury.

A statement from the victim’s mother also revealed how after more than a year since the stabbing, her son still has poor memory function, is partially sighted in both eyes, has reduced mobility of his right arm, is unable to drive and work, and still requires a lot of care.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Burgess has a youth caution for theft and a youth conviction for damaging property while Birchall has no previous convictions.

Defending Birchall, Chloe Fordham said: “One has to bare in mind that she said 'bring something with you', but the nature of that weapon was not something that she specified.

“The reason why she overreacted quite so badly to the alcohol being taken is because she knew Mr Burgess would give her a hard time about it

“She was acting in a way in the period they were together that she would not usually.

“She said something very stupid and the result was something catastrophic beyond that.”

Ms Fordham added that her client has been ‘significantly impacted’ by what has happened and suffers from panic attacks and becomes paranoid whenever she sees the police.

Defending Burgess, Rachel Cooper said that he has significant mental health difficulties and cognitive challenges.

She also said how he suffers from PTSD so struggles with managing his emotions and is often ‘hypervigilant’ – which she said he was on the night of the offence.

“This is a fight that got out of hand,” Ms Cooper said.

“His initial reaction was to back away and to say do not make me do this.

“Only once he was tackled to the ground did he use the weapon.”

Concluding, Judge Nicholas Dean, KC, the honorary recorder of Manchester Crown Court, said: “You, Kadee Birchall, have not been in trouble and you, Sheldon Burgess, are not heavily convicted.

“The events of June 16, 2021, are shocking.

“The victim will never be able to avoid the consequences of the day and between you, you are both responsible for that.”

Burgess was handed five-years and seven-months of detention.

Addressing Birchall, Judge Dean said how she ‘summoned’ Burgess to the scene.

He said: “You have come very close indeed to going to prison today.

“But I am persuaded that I can take an alternative approach.

“The reason was almost entirely down to your age and good behaviour since.

“You behaved in a wicked way and it seems to me that you knew what Sheldon Burgess may be capable of.”

Birchall was handed a youth rehabilitation order meaning she will be supervised for 18 months and must complete 15 activity requirement days.