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A teenager was left with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed repeatedly during an incident involving a gang of “young thugs” on a street in Cardiff.

The youngster, who lost a lot of blood in the attack and was left with lasting scars, was too scared to help the police for fear of being attacked again.

Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court , Ieuan Bennett said: “The prosecution submit this was patently a revenge attack.”

Seven teenage defendants were involved in the incident – Chakeel Lovell, Iuan Mills, Craig Nicholls and four others who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutors said Lovell was involved in a “gang attack” at a rugby match in Trelai Park, Caerau , on March 8, 2017.

(Image: Google Street View)

The court heard he chased the victim and hit him in the face with a metal bar, fracturing his jaw.

Mr Bennett said the victim, other players and teachers “cowered” in a school minibus as armed youths smashed the windows.

Lovell was given a two-year detention and training order on January 11 last year after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, criminal damage and violent disorder.

(Image: Facebook)

The court heard he served half in a young offender institution and was released on January 10 this year – just a few weeks before the incident.

Prosecutors said the victim from the 2017 incident supported the prosecution and heard the defendants shout “snitch” during the latest attack.

Mr Bennett told the court it was a planned gang attack that started around 11.30pm on February 7 on City Road, Cardiff.

He suggested the gang members travelled to the area deliberately for the attack and armed themselves.

They were caught on CCTV “marching” together into a shisha bar, where they saw the previous victim and his two friends.

Prosecutors said several of the defendants took bottles out into the street with them, showing they knew an organised fight was about to happen.

Mr Bennett described how the defendants made a line across the road, stretching from pavement to pavement, to stop the victims from running away.

The court heard an 18-year-old from Caerau was carrying a large kitchen knife or machete, which could be seen gleaming on the CCTV footage.

Prosecutors said Lovell was carrying a smaller weapon and neither was recovered.

This is what the law says about carrying knives:

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Parts of the incident by Chicken Haus were caught on camera and showed the victim surrounded by four of the defendants.

Mr Bennett said his friends ran off and he was kicked and punched on the ground before being stabbed by Lovell and the 18-year-old.

The court heard he suffered four stab wounds – two to the groin, one to the arm and a slashing injury. One of the wounds was 7cm long. The back of his coat was also slashed by a knife.

Prosecutors said he did not want to make a victim personal statement, adding: “He is clearly concerned about a further incident and does not want to get involved.

“He was in a perilous state. They were clearly life-threatening injuries. He must have lost a significant quantity of blood.”

The victim was seen to get to his feet and a friend, who happened to be driving nearby, took him to the University Hospital of Wales . Prosecutors said he was left with significant scarring.

Lovell, 18, from Bromley Drive in Caerau, admitted wounding with intent.

Prosecutors said the police recovered a hoodie from his home which was stained with blood on the sleeve and forensically linked to the victim.

He was arrested the next day and gave a “no comment” interview. Lovell, represented by Derrick Gooden, is due to be sentenced on August 30.

The 18-year-old from Butetown , represented by Hashim Salmman, also admitted wounding with intent and will be sentenced on the same date.

Prosecutors alleged he tried to continue the incident following the stabbing by taking the knife down City Road and slashing out at a man’s hand.

(Image: Facebook)

Mills, 18, from Penygarn Road in Ely , admitted violent disorder and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

The court heard he took a bottle out into the street and was seen to throw it at the victim.

Jonathan Lewis, defending, said his client felt like he needed to show loyalty to his co-defendants, but took steps backwards as the others marched forwards.

He said the defendant, who had no previous convictions, got GCSEs and started an apprenticeship, but then began using cannabis. Character references described him as caring, polite and helpful.

Mills was given 16 months in a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months. He must comply with a six-month curfew and carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, plus 19 thinking skills sessions.

(Image: Facebook)

Nicholls, 18, from Marcross Road in Ely, admitted violent disorder on the basis his role was limited to driving.

Prosecutors said he drove “perilously close” to people on the pavement as he made off from the scene, suggesting he may have been using the car to intimidate.

Christopher Evans, defending, said his client did not accept that and was “panicking”.

The court heard he had previous convictions for aggravated vehicle taking, common assault and possessing a knuckle duster.

Mr Evans said: “This is undeniably a very serious incident, looking at it as a whole, but his involvement is at the lower end of the scale.”

He pointed out Nicholls did not arm himself and went to the car when violence broke out. He suggested the defendant was impulsive and did not think about consequences.

Judge Fitton gave him 10 months in a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months, plus a six-month curfew, 100 hours of unpaid work and thinking skills programme.

A 17-year-old from Caerau admitted violent disorder on the basis his role was limited to driving other defendants in an orange Vauxhall Mokka. He had a previous conviction for aggravated vehicle taking.

Paul Hewitt, defending, suggested his client had “too much time on his hands” and told the court he wanted to find a job.

Judge Michael Fitton QC gave him an 18-month youth rehabilitation order, requiring him to complete 180 days of rehabilitation activity and comply with a six-month curfew.

A 16-year-old boy from Ely, represented by Corina Hughes, also admitted violent disorder.

Prosecutors said he took a bottle out into the street and held it behind his back to make people think he had a knife.

The court heard he was one of the defendants who surrounded the victim when he was on the floor and “clearly continued the trouble” after the stabbing.

Ms Hughes stressed her client, who has enrolled on a college course, had no previous convictions and suggested the offending was “completely out of character”.

Judge Fitton told him: “You are 16. You should not be here.” He gave him an 18-month youth rehabilitation order and six-month curfew, ordering him to complete 180 days of activity.

A 17-year-old boy from Ely, represented by James Evans, admitted violent disorder.

Prosecutors said he was seen emptying his bottle on to the carpet in the bar before taking it out into the street and surrounding the victim.

The court heard he had previous convictions for unlawful wounding and being carried in a vehicle taken without consent.

Mr Evans suggested he had found his first time in custody difficult and needed positive influences in his life instead of being locked up with other criminals.

He was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order, requiring him to abide by a six-month curfew and complete 180 days of rehabilitation activity.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Fitton described the defendants as “young thugs” and told them their involvement in a serious incident was “dangerous” and “idiotic”.