A daily newspaper successfully challenged reporting restrictions to allow it to name a 17-year-old boy who almost killed a teenager after stabbing him.

Kyle McGuinness, left,  stabbed a 16-year-old boy in August last year and then published an image of the bloodied knife on Snapchat.

Reporting restrictions were originally imposed on the grounds of McGuinness’s age, but  Manchester Evening News court reporter Andrew Bardsley successfully applied to have them lifted.

The paper reported how McGuinness, left, had an ‘obsession’ with weapons after he posted a video of a serrated combat knife on Snapchat.

In the clip he showed the blade which appeared to show blood on it and wrote a message to his victim.

It read: “Two of you tried dukking (stabbing) me down. Shame, enjoy the hospital lad”, followed by two laughing emojis.

Following the lifting of restrictions, the newspaper published a follow-up story including the actual image used on Snapchat.

Judge Anthony Cross QC at Manchester Crown Court said the young boy would have died if it wasn’t for the specialist skills of medics at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.

After being given bail following the initial attack, McGuinness later stabbed another young man, aged 21, and was declared ‘dangerous’ by judge Anthony Cross QC.

A knife as well as an empty box for a ‘hunter’s type’ blade were recovered.

McGuinness, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to section 20 assault, section 18 assault, and two counts of possessing a bladed article. 

He was given a nine year extended sentence, comprising of five years in prison, and a four year extended licence period.

Despite requests by HTFP, MEN publisher Reach plc declined to comment on the successful application.