Father charged with young son’s stabbing

A father suspected of stabbing his seven year-old son 17 times has been officially charged with his murder by a court in Umea, northern Sweden.

The 53 year-old, who is currently undergoing tests after an examination revealed that he may suffer from serious psychiatric disturbance, was initially arrested on 10th July after police discovered the boy’s lifeless body at his home.

The motive for the attack has still not been revealed, but the father has apparently told police that he did not mean to kill his son. The boy’s grandmother was also arrested at the time of the murder but has since been resolved of all blame and is due to testify against the 53 year-old.

The man is also charged with trying to throw the grandmother down the stairs and unlawful coercion, after he persuaded her to leave the flat and then immediately locked the door behind her. The boy’s mother was not at home at the time of the attack but had previously reported her husband for violent behaviour and making threats.

The next phase of the psychological examination is set to take six weeks.