Deaf teen stabbed 12-year-old boy
A deaf teenager has admitted repeatedly stabbing a 12-year-old boy in an attack in Ayrshire.
Gareth Young, 16, pleaded guilty to attempted murder after the attack on the boy - who cannot be named for legal reasons - in Kilwinning in June.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Young - who also comes from Kilwinning - wrote his confession on his phone and showed it to police.
Sentence was deferred until Monday 12 December.
Advocate Depute Andrew Brown QC, prosecuting, told the court that Young pounced on the victim and his friend after they had sneaked out of a house in Kilwinning just after midnight on 19 June.
As Mr Brown addressed the court, a sign language expert stood in court translating the proceedings for the benefit of Young.
Mr Brown said the boy will face lifelong psychological trauma as a consequence of being attacked.
The prosecutor said the boy had six stab wounds to his body.
One wound led to a loop of intestine extruding from his abdomen and another wound to his chest led to a collapsed lung.
Young was taken to Saltcoats Police office at 04:50 and he typed a message on to his mobile phone which he then showed to the police officers.
The officers noticed that the accused had typed the message: "I hide my knife and shoes and jacket cupboard in my house."
The police then went back to Young's house and found the weapon used in the attack.