Bulgarian teenager is charged with attempted murder after walker in his 60s stabbed 'from behind' near golf course

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:27, 23 May 2026 | Updated: 00:27, 23 May 2026 A Bulgarian teenager has been charged with attempted murder after a man in his 60s was stabbed 'from behind' near a golf course on Thursday, May 14. The victim had been walking through Stafford Castle golf course just before 7pm when he was attacked.  He remains in critical but stable condition in hospital after he was left fighting for his life following the allegedly unprovoked attack.  The victim, who has not been named but is understood to be from Stafford, was walking close to the golf course when an 'Eastern European' knifeman approached him from behind and stabbed him.  A suspect has now been charged with attempted murder and theft from a shop after he was arrested on Tuesday, May 19.   The teenager, a 17-year-old Bulgarian national, cannot be named for legal reasons. He is due to appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Saturday.  A 30-year-old man had also been arrested in connection with the stabbing. He has been released from custody with police taking no further action.  Staffordshire Police have urged the public to avoid speculation over the investigation as legal proceedings are ongoing.  Police previously released CCTV footage of a suspect as they hunted the alleged attacker  A police cordon and forensic tent next to a putting green near where the man in his 60s was allegedly stabbed  A spokesperson for the force said on Friday evening: 'A teenager has been charged after a man was stabbed in Stafford. 'A man in his 60s was stabbed on a public footpath through Stafford Castle golf course just before 7pm on Thursday 14 May.  'He remains in critical but stable condition in hospital, and specialist officers are continuing to support him and his family. The 17-year-old boy is White and of Bulgarian nationality.  'He was arrested on Tuesday evening (19 May) and has been charged with attempted murder and theft from a shop. He can't be named for legal reasons because of his age. 'He is due to appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre tomorrow (Saturday 23 May). 'The 30-year-old man arrested in connection with this investigation has been released with no further action. 'As legal proceedings are ongoing, please avoid speculation, assumptions, or public commentary regarding the matter.'  Detective Chief Inspector Ian Fitzgerald, of Staffordshire Police, previously said: 'The arrest is a significant development in our investigation which continues at pace. Detectives previously released an image of a suspect in connection with the attack A 17-year-old boy, from Stafford, has been charged with attempted murder 'I have a range of specialist resources dedicated to this investigation.  'The victim remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. His family are being supported by our family liaison officers. 'The response from the community has been invaluable with lots of people sharing information and CCTV footage. 'However, I must ask people not to use AI or other software to enhance any of the images we have shared. 'It is incredibly harmful to our investigation, particularly when arrests have been made and legal proceedings are active.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.