Mount Maunganui Bayfair stabbing accused appears in Tauranga Youth Court

Police were called to Bayfair Shopping Centre in Mount Maunganui on Friday after an alleged stabbing. Photo / Supplied

A teenager accused of stabbing another girl with a knife at Mount Maunganui’s Bayfair Shopping Centre on Friday has made her second court appearance.

The alleged offender faced a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm with a stabbing weapon when she appeared in the Tauranga Youth Court on Monday via audio-visual link.

She and the complainant both have automatic name suppression.

The accused’s lawyer Rebekah Webby told Judge Louis Bidois that she understood police were yet to interview the complainant and several witnesses.

Webby said until these police inquiries were completed, it was appropriate to adjourn the prosecution case without entering a plea.

Judge Bidois consented to this request and remanded the accused in custody to next appear in court on May 13.

Police confirmed to the Bay of Plenty Times on Monday the alleged victim of the stabbing remained in a stable condition in hospital.

According to the police summary of facts in the case released to the Bay of Plenty Times, the accused saw the other teenager at Bayfair on Friday afternoon and followed her.

Police allege the accused initiated an altercation with the girl, then pulled out a knife and stabbed her multiple times before witnesses intervened, the summary said.

Police further alleged the victim sustained four deep lacerations to her abdomen area that caused significant bleeding.

The alleged attacker left the scene and the injured girl was taken to hospital.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.