A teenager who regularly watched videos about serial killers carried out a "vicious and brutal" attack on a disabled schoolgirl.

The 17 year old attacker – who can't be named for legal reasons – stabbed his terrified victim at least 99 times after luring her to a secluded park known as The Orchards in Sittingbourne.

The teenager has now received a sentence in which he will be held in custody for life. An application to lift the order banning his identity being published was turned down.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how after the attack he threw away the 16-year-old victim's phone, leaving her alone and soaked in blood before Googling whether Britain still had a death penalty.

Before the hearing began today, Judge Philip Statman told the lawyers: "I have viewed the body worn footage of the police arriving at the scene and other clips (on the attacker's phone) which are of an extremely harrowing and disturbing nature."

The courageous victim's mother and family sat in the public gallery as Prosecutor Martin Yale revealed how the attacker was just 16 at the time of the savage attack.

He pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was given a discretionary life sentence and being "detained at her Majesty's pleasure" for at least 10 years before being considered for release.

The judge told him: "You had a murderous attempt in your head. This was a savage and brutal attack which was premeditated.

"You knew just how brave she had been in tackling her disability. Yet you used ugly words towards her.

"Your victim remained in her foetal position in The Orchards for six hours yet your victim fought for her life and won."

He said the victim and her parents have been left asking why he targeted a disabled girl unable to fight back.

The prosecutor said that over the night of July 21 and 22 last year the victim was subjected to "a vicious, brutal and sustained attack where she was stabbed all over her body."

He added that she was vulnerable because of her disability and her attacker had previously entertained thoughts and stabbing the **** out of her.

"We say he lured her to the orchard in order to carry out a premeditated attack. He began messaging his victim on Snapchat and he instigated a meeting.

"He met his victim at her back gate in the early hours. As they walked the two of them were having a laugh and on one occasion he gave her a piggyback."

The prosecutor said the attacker also carried a bag with him - which is believed to have contained weapons and a change of clothing in which he planned to kill her.

At the orchard he made an excuse to use the toilet, disappeared and then returned when he grabbed her mouth before beginning his stabbing frenzy.

The victim described her attacker as "looking evil" and estimated the attack continued for up to three minutes.

"She was trying to cry for help and when the attack stopped she fell to the ground. He then took her telephone and threw it in a bush and left her for dead, alone in the orchard and bleeding from 100 wounds.

"She lay injured for between six and seven hours, until 7.10am the following morning when she was discovered by a man walking his dog."

The prosecutor added that when paramedics arrived the clothes were saturated with blood they didn't know what the original colour had been."

When she was found, doctors said her condition was critical as they struggled to find a pulse.

She was flown by air ambulance to King's College Hospital in London and treated for wounds including ones to the liver, pancreas, lungs, kidney and to a severed artery.

After her disappearance was discovered the victim's parents began a search after finding she had not slept in her room.

Mr Yale said that the would-be killer was eventually questioned and claimed to have been with his girlfriend.

When detectives went to his house they discovered he had been viewing images including American serial killer Ted Bunby.

They also found within minutes of the attack, he had been searching online for details of murders in Sittingbourne.

"Both are significant mental health issues which may provide some explanation why it would be that a 16-year-old would behave in such an extreme way..."

The court heard the defendant had struggled with his mental health during lockdown, which led to his parents seeking professional help.

Tana Adkin QC, defending, told the court the boy was becoming more irritable and anxious, spoke about ending his life, and would take a knife to his bedroom.

He spoke to health professionals himself but just two months before he attacked the girl, his mother was told by social care services to ring the police when he threatened to kill himself.

Ms Adkin said his parents 'did all they could' and it was not until after his arrest that his conditions were diagnosed.

"Both are significant mental health issues which may provide some explanation why it would be that a 16-year-old would behave in such an extreme way having not been in trouble before," she told the court.

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

After sending the defendant to the cells, the judge spoke with the victim's mother, telling her he had been humbled by the girl's "tenacity and resilience", as she was now back at school and doing well.

Then he commended the four officers who were first on the scene: PCs Rebecca Slevin, Daniel Reading and Naomi Gluckenheim and Sgt Barry Carr.

Commenting after the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Kimber, the senior investigating officer for the case, 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 enquiries, 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.

"Despite being presented with a horrific case, the relentless professionalism of my officers meant we were able to unravel the crime, and detain the offender, within several hours.

"The officers who first responded to the call for help also reacted with exemplary professionalism, despite being presented with a dire set of circumstances.

"Their actions ultimately led to the victim surviving this horrific attack.

"I am pleased to see that this teenage boy has now been held to account.

"He presents a clear danger to the public and I sincerely hope that the support available to him in prison gets to the root cause of his dangerousness and prevents him from committing any further harm."