Spice Girl Geri visits stab victim

Published on Saturday 26 January 2008 21:32

SPICE Girl Geri Halliwell made a hospital visit to a 14-year-old girl who was stabbed up to 30 times in a park.

She dropped in to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury to visit Jessica Knight, who was attacked in a park in Astley Village, near Chorley, Lancashire, on Monday.

The singer stayed for more than 30 minutes, chatting to Jessica, who remains in a critical but stable condition.

Jessica's parents, Richard Knight and Jill Walmsley, said she had responded to the surprise visit by moving her legs and arms. They previously revealed she was managing to communicate with them by wiggling her toes.

Knight said: "Although Jess is unable to speak, you could tell she was really excited as she kept moving her arms and her legs as Geri was talking to her. She is a big Spice Girls fan and I'm sure this will help her."

The group are performing in a string of sell-out dates at Manchester's MEN Arena.

A French national was remanded in custody at Chorley Magistrates Court yesterday charged with the attempted murder of Jessica. Kristofer Beddar, 21, of Chorley, Lancashire, gave himself up to police after the attack. He will next appear at Preston Crown Court on February 4.