A TEENAGER who is charged with attempted murder is due to appear at court on Thursday.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be identified yet, is expected to appear in the dock of Oxford Crown Court to enter a plea.
He was charged in February for trying to murder somebody at his home address but details have not yet been revealed.
He appeared at Oxford Magistrates Court for a preliminary hearing on February 12.
However, because attempted murder is an 'indictable-only offence' it can only be heard at crown court – where judges can pass harsher penalties than magistrates.
Attempted murder carries a maximum prison sentence of life and unlike murder only requires evidence of an intention to kill.
Because the offence is so serious it was decided, at another hearing at Oxford Crown Court, that the teenager would be held in custody at a youth detention centre until he has been sentenced.
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Court documents say that the offence is punishable by more than 14 years in prison and the accommodation would be ‘adequate’ enough to protect public from death or serious injury.
It is not yet known whether he will plead guilty or not guilty, but a trial has been pencilled in for five days from July 27.
At the hearing at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday it will be decided whether he is fit enough to enter a plea based on reports from medical professionals.
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