Teenagers deny attempted murder of trans girl in rollerskating party stabbing

Six teenagers accused of a hate crime stabbing of a transgender girl have denied attempted murder.

The victim, 18, was attending a rollerskating party with friends when she was attacked by a group and subjected to transphobic slurs, it is said.

She is said to have suffered 14 stab wounds in the attack.

At the Old Bailey on Wednesday, Summer Betts-Ramsey, 19, Bradley Harris, 18, Shiloh Hindes, 18, two boys aged 17 and 16, and a 16-year-old girl all entered not guilty pleas to the charge of attempted murder.

The two boys and the girl, who cannot be named due to their ages, also denied a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, while Harris pleaded not guilty to threatening the victim with a knife two weeks before the stabbing.

The stabbing happened near to Harrow Leisure Centre in Wealdstone, northwest London on February this year.

The victim had organised to attend a rollerskating party with friends at the leisure centre when it is alleged she was set upon in a group attack.

“This has been prosecuted as a transphobic hate crime. The victim is a transgender female”, said prosecutor Bunsri Bhuwa, at the first court hearing in the case.

“This was, the Crown say, a brutal, unprovoked transphobic hate crime.”

Betts-Ramsey, from Cotswolds Gardens in Cricklewood, appeared in court via a videolink from HMP Bronzefield.

Hindes, 18, from Burcher Gale Grove in Peckham, was in the dock at the Old Bailey, while Harris, 18, from Carmelite Road in Harrow was on a videolink.

The two teenage boy defendants stood in the well of the court to enter their pleas and remain on bail.

The 16-year-old girl from north London is in custody and appeared on a videolink for the hearing.

A trial has been set for January 20 next year. Judge Philip Katz KC adjourned the case until a further hearing on August 2.