Teenager appears in court after Gurdwara attack

A 17-year-old boy has appeared in court charged with multiple offences after a disturbance at a Gurdwara in Kent.

Officers were called to the Sri Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Gravesend at 20:10 BST on Thursday after reports of a disturbance inside the building and two women assaulted outside.

A local teenage boy was arrested at the scene and a bladed weapon was recovered, Kent Police said.

The force said nobody was seriously injured.

The boy was earlier charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, using or threatening unlawful violence, threats to kill, threatening a person with a bladed weapon and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

He was remanded in police custody and appeared before Maidstone Crown Court later on Saturday where he was further charged with attempted grievous bodily harm.

He was bailed by the court and was immediately detained by officers for a mental health assessment.

Ch Supt Angie Chapman said initial inquiries suggested the incident was “not terrorism-related”, but was being treated as “religiously aggravated”.

She said: “It was upsetting for local people and our officers will remain on patrol in the area for reassurance and engagement with the community.”

The teenager will appear at Medway Youth Court on Thursday.