Man 'inspired' by Southport attack jailed for stabbing girl, 9, in the neck

Jordan Wilkes, 29, jailed for 30 years after stabbing a 9-year-old girl in Christchurch, Dorset, inspired by child murder obsessions.

Jordan Thomas Wilkes, aged 29, has been sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment, with an extended five-year licence period, following his conviction for the attempted murder of a nine-year-old girl in Christchurch, Dorset. The sentencing took place at Bournemouth Crown Court on 23 April 2025, after a jury found him guilty on 7 March 2025.

The incident occurred on 20 August 2024, when the young victim and her friend were playing in the communal stairwell of a residential block in Glider Close. Wilkes emerged from his flat and, without provocation, attacked the girl with a penknife, stabbing her in the neck, chest, and knee. He also tore a clump of hair from her head, which he later kept in a folded piece of paper, allegedly as a “trophy,” until his mother instructed him to dispose of it.

The girls managed to escape and sought refuge in a neighbour’s flat, where emergency services were called. The victim was transported to hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Medical reports indicated that the neck wound narrowly missed major arteries, which could have resulted in fatal blood loss.

During the investigation, Wilkes directed officers to his bedside table, where the penknife used in the attack was found. Forensic analysis confirmed the presence of the victim’s blood on the blade and Wilkes’ DNA on the handle. A search of his flat revealed multiple knives hidden around the premises. Additionally, a clump of the girl’s hair was discovered in the kitchen bin.

Further examination of Wilkes’ mobile phone uncovered 69 files related to violent crimes involving children, including videos, news articles, and podcasts.

These materials detailed notorious cases such as the Axel Rudakubana Southport dance class killings in July 2024 and the Parkland school shooting in Florida in 2018. Notably, Wilkes had accessed information about the Southport murders shortly after they occurred and had searched for local dance classes the following day.

Prosecutor Berenice Mulvanny presented this evidence to the court, highlighting Wilkes’ disturbing interest in child murders. She stated that Wilkes had previously received a 14-month suspended sentence for assaulting an eight-year-old boy in 2016, an incident where he punched, kicked, and stamped on the child’s head, rendering him unconscious. In 2020, Wilkes was suspected of setting fire to a pram outside his flat, and in 2022, he was reported for verbally abusing a child with special educational needs.