A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been jailed after stabbing a teenage girl 60 times in a “brutal, pre-planned and unprovoked attacked”.

The girl was airlifted to hospital by the South East Coast Ambulance Service and the Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance after the attack in July last year.

She was found to 60 stab wounds across her body, while a total of 99 injuries were recorded by a pathologist who reviewed the case.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, attacked the girl in Sittingbourne, Kent, leaving her with numerous life-threatening injuries.

At Maidstone Crown Court, he was sentenced to a discretionary life sentence, which means he will serve a minimum of 10 years.

If he should then be released, he will be subject to a whole life licence.

According to police, the victim was found seriously injured in a field by a dog walker at around 7.30am on Tuesday, July 22.

“She is likely to have been laying seriously injured in the spot for at least seven hours,” a police spokesman said.

“Police officers were immediately deployed to the scene and were joined by crews from South East Coast Ambulance Service and Kent Surrey Sussex Air Ambulance, who airlifted the victim to a London hospital.

“Numerous people who knew the offender, and the victim, identified him as a possible suspect and officers detained him later that day.

“A review of his phone led to detectives uncovering numerous deleted text messages which had been shared between the pair on the evening of the offence.

“Other messages saved on the phone showed he had a desire to stab the victim.

“Immediately after the offence, he also carried out internet searches to try and learn how the police investigate murders.”

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber said: “The brutality inflicted on the victim of this case was abhorrent and managing this investigation has been exceptionally harrowing.

“It is worrying that someone so young could have coldly calculated carrying out this sickening attack.

“Throughout the course of our inquiries, providing the victim with the best possible support was our absolute priority.

“She has demonstrated exceptional bravery throughout, and her fighting spirit is shown by the physical recovery she has made.”