A 12-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after a 15-year-old girl was stabbed in the abdomen.

The child, who cannot be named because of his age, appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court this afternoon and sat with three dock officers.

He has also been charged with possession of an offensive weapon after the teenage girl was seriously injured in Sittingbourne on Friday, March 22.

The boy, who could only just about see over the dock as the case was dealt with in front of District Judge William Nelson, was arrested on Saturday after officers were called to Adelaide Drive at 3.55pm the previous day, following reports the girl had suffered injuries to her abdomen consistent with a knife wound.

Officers attended with paramedics and the air ambulance was also called to the scene and the girl, who also can’t be named for legal reasons, was taken to King’s College Hospital in London, where she underwent emergency surgery on Friday night for a bowel injury.

She is said to now be in a stable condition but during the hearing, prosecutor Julie Fabrace told Judge Nelson it was not known how long she would have to stay in hospital recovering.

The boy was arrested the next day on suspicion of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm, but on Sunday, police said he had been charged with attempted murder.

He didn’t enter any pleas in relation to the charges.

Judge Nelson sent the case to Maidstone Crown Court to be dealt with and the boy is expected to appear there for a preliminary hearing on April 22.

He has been remanded in a youth detention facility until then but could apply for bail again.

Residents living near the scene have been left shaken by the events.

Police arrived at around 4pm and shut Adelaide Drive from Brisbane Avenue down to the junction with Borden Lane until around 10pm on Friday. One woman watched the emergency services response from her window.

She said: "The first I knew of it was when we saw the blue flashing lights from the ambulance and police cars.

"There must of been between 12 to 15 officers at the scene, and they dashed into one of the properties.

"I have never seen anything like this, it's just awful and very upsetting. I just hope the girl recovers."

Another resident said the incident was "unnerving". They explained: "We thought it was a car accident at first when we saw the police come down the road so to hear it was a stabbing is terrifying.”

One resident said: "It’s frightening to see it happening in your road."

A resident in Brisbane Avenue told KentOnline that the situation was "depressing".

She said: "To come home and hear someone has been stabbed is very depressing.

"I thought this was a nice area. You hear the school kids from time to time but nothing like this."