A knife-obsessed thug stabbed a teenager before going for a takeaway

Joel Cantrell launched a ‘completely random and unprovoked’ attack on his victim after an argument over a vape

A teenage boy was left scarred for life after he was brutally stabbed at a beauty salon when an argument broke out over a vape pen during a post-exam celebration. Joel Cantrell subjected the teenager to a “completely random and unprovoked” knife attack before accidentally boarding a train home and eating a takeaway.

A judge today told the gun-obsessed thug that he was “extremely lucky that his (victim’s) injuries were not much more serious.” Meanwhile, his victim says “what should have been one of the happiest days of his life” became “something he will carry with him for the rest of his life” – for all the wrong reasons.

Liverpool Crown Court I heard today, Friday, that a group of teenagers had gathered on the beach at Cubbins Green Caldy, WirralJune 16, 2023 to celebrate the end of GCSE exams. The ECHO reported at the time that hundreds of children were present in the area on a given Friday evening.

Prosecutor Sarah Griffin described how a 17-year-old co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, approached another boy and asked to borrow his e-cigarette at around 7pm. However, the teenager instead walked away with the e-cigarette and refused to give it back, before throwing it back and forth with another man.

He then tried to kick the applicant in the stomach, although the boy managed to grab him by the foot and throw him to the floor. However, the attacker’s group then “brutally attacked” the youth, grabbing him by his backpack as he tried to flee and dragging him to the ground.

The teenager was punched and kicked by the three attackers as he curled into a ball, before Cantrell pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times in the right arm and leg. The incident was captured on a cell phone video. The victim’s friends used bandanas as makeshift tourniquets to stop the bleeding after the brutal attack.

He was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital where it was found that he had suffered a number of lacerations to his elbow, thigh and calf, which were closed with stitches. In a statement read to the court on his behalf, he said: ‘On what should have been one of the happiest days of my life – the last day of high school, a day set aside to celebrate with friends – I was stabbed.

“This attack was completely random and unprovoked. I’ve never had problems with anyone and I’m not one to get into conflict, so his senselessness left me shocked and deeply shaken. From that day on, my life changed drastically. I now suffer from severe anxiety, especially when I leave the house or am in large crowds.

“Even the things I used to enjoy aren’t the same anymore. After this incident, I had two concerts booked, but I couldn’t bring myself to go to them due to fear and anxiety.

“The scars are a constant reminder of what happened. After this incident, I felt so intimidated and unsafe that I left college. This attack took away more than just my sense of security. It affected my education, my friendships, my self-confidence and my ability to enjoy life as I once did.

“I deal with the consequences of other people’s actions every day, and I will probably carry that with me for the rest of my life. This caused me to lose an entire year of school because I couldn’t start a new course right away.”

Police then attended Cantrell’s home on Castle Road in Wallasey two days later, on June 18, and arrested him in his bedroom. Officers seized the clothes he was wearing in the video, as well as “a large sheathed knife, a red-handled knife and a gold-tipped knife.”

Meanwhile, officers discovered an empty box in the top drawer of his bedside table that allegedly contained the weapon used to attack the boy, which had been thrown into a trash can near the scene. During cross-examination, Cantrell denied being responsible for the stabbing, claiming that the appellant punched his friend after he took his e-cigarette before “several people got involved.”

However, the 19-year-old stated that he “didn’t do anything” and that an unknown man with a covered face was responsible for the knife wounds. The attacker allegedly dropped the blade and ran away, shouting at him to pick up the object, which he said he did before throwing it away.

Cantrell told detectives he then took the train to Wallasey Grove Road station, visited a takeaway and returned home. At the time of committing the crime, he had no previous convictions, but he had a history of subsequent drug possession cases.

Defense lawyer Simran Garcha told the court: “Mr Cantrell was 17 at the time of the offence. It is necessary to consider whether he had the necessary maturity to fully appreciate the consequences of his actions and the extent to which he was likely to act impulsively.

“Mr. Cantrell is assessed as immature and has significant thinking problems. He abused drugs in his youth, which likely exacerbated his ADHD and slowed his maturity.

“He wholeheartedly admits that the result could have been fatal and that he was extremely stupid to carry a knife, and wishes to apologize through me not only to (victim’s name) but also to the court. Reduced prior disparate convictions.

“Eighteen months have passed without any violent crime, which shows that there are some prospects for rehabilitation in this case. Mr. Cantrell has a very strained relationship with his mother and does not talk to her at all.

“He rarely talks to his father. The last time he saw him was before the pandemic. He is an impressionable young man. It is obvious that he has negative peer influence and other problems.”

Cantrell pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article in a public place. Appearing in court wearing a gray Nike tracksuit and sporting short, dark hair, he was sentenced to two years and 10 months in juvenile prison and a 10-year restraining order.

His co-accused pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sent back to juvenile court for sentencing.

Sentencing Recorder Mark Bradshaw said: “This was a serious assault. You were involved in a completely unprovoked and brutal attack. It was extremely fortunate that his injuries were not much more serious. They easily could have been, considering your actions.

“Every time someone brandishes a knife there is a risk that something much worse could happen. You could be in a much worse situation than before. You seem to be interested in knives.

“His life changed dramatically because of what you did. It’s not hard for me to believe when he says he will carry this event with him for the rest of his life. You had no previous convictions when this crime occurred. 18 months have passed since the crime was committed, and no violent crime has occurred in between.

“I take into account the broken relationship with your mother. Unfortunately, it appears you have little support and little positive influence on your life.”