A 17-year-old youth accused of being involved in a fight in the car park of an Ipswich McDonald’s restaurant during which a 16-year-old boy was stabbed has admitted an offence of violent disorder.

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, had denied the charge but changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial at Ipswich Crown Court today.

The court heard he had earlier admitted having a knife during the incident, which took place at the Ravenswood branch of McDonald’s on June 13.

He will now no longer be part of the trial and will be sentenced for the two offences he has admitted at a later date.

Also before the court are the 16-year-old victim of the alleged stabbing, who has denied violent disorder and Rishawn Mohammed, 18, of Hurricane Place, Ipswich, who has denied wounding the 16-year-old with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, violent disorder and having a knife.

The court has heard the 16-year-old victim of the stabbing, who is now 17, was with a 17-year-old friend in the car park at the Ravenswood McDonald’s and was seen arguing and fighting with Mohammed.

During the incident Mohammed had allegedly pulled out a large red handled kitchen knife with a 12cm blade and “plunged” it into the 16-year-old’s groin.

The injured teenager slumped to the ground in between two cars and his friend had produced a knife and chased after Mohammed but couldn’t catch him, said Andrew Jackson, prosecuting.

Following the attack the injured teenager, who was bleeding heavily from a cut to a major artery to his groin, underwent emergency surgery and made a good recovery.

Mr Jackson said had it not been for prompt medical intervention he would “almost certainly” have died.

The court heard that on June 13 the injured youth and his friend had been driven to McDonald’s in a car which had a window sticker saying: “Knives cost lives.”

The court heard that following his arrest the 17-year-old initially lied to police by claiming a blue handled knife found in his pocket had been the knife used by Mohammed in the stabbing but later admitted it was his knife.

Following the stabbing the red handled knife and Mohammed’s blood stained clothes were found in a bag in a car containing three people, including his grandmother, which was stopped by police in Nacton Road.

The trial continues.