Man charged with murder after Chinese takeaway stabbing

School says death of ‘kind, passionate, and ambitious’ teenager has had ‘devastating impact’

Wenjing Xu, the 16 year-old girl who died following a stabbing in the village of Ynyswen in Treorchy, Rhondda (South Wales Police/PA)

A man has been charged with murdering a 16-year-old girl following a stabbing at her family’s Chinese restaurant.

Chun Xu, 31, is accused of murdering Wenjing Lin - also known as Wenjing Xu - as well as attempting to murder a 38-year-old man, South Wales Police said.

The force said Mr Xu would appear before Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

A police spokeswoman said: "A 38-year-old man previously arrested in connection with the incident remains in hospital in a stable condition and is no longer being treated as a suspect in relation to this incident."

It is understood that Mr Xu is not related to Wenjing.

Earlier on Wednesday, the teenager’s school described her as "kind, passionate, and ambitious".

Wenjing's death was confirmed following reports of a stabbing in Treorchy, South Wales, in which two men in their 30s were also injured.

Police were called to Baglan Street in the village of Ynyswen at around midday on Friday 5 March to reports of an attack at the Blue Sky takeaway.

Treorchy Comprehensive School said there had been a "devastating impact" on teachers and pupils, particularly Wenjing's friends and fellow Year 11 classmates, from her death.

It said in a statement: "The school will remember Wenjing Lin as a positive role model.

"She was extremely hard-working and was in the middle of studying for her GCSEs and had ambitions to go on to study psychology and maths and further maths at A-level.

"Wenjing took an active part in school life, travelling to Patagonia and being part of the school's Combined Cadet Force, where she made many friends, who will remember her dry sense of humour and a person who inspired many others.

"She was also, however, a very responsible pupil who managed to combine her academic ambitions with a real commitment to support her family business.

"Wenjing was an honest and passionate pupil, who believed that it was important to always stand up for what you believe in.

"She was at the heart of her circle of friends, who shared a belief in being kind, passionate, and ambitious, but, most importantly, being true to yourself."

The school said it was working with outside agencies to support those affected by the tragedy.

In a statement released last week, the teenager's family said: "Wenjing had a very gentle soul, she was a very quiet person. Wenjing helped the whole family, working in the family takeaway.

"She enjoyed school and worked very hard. She was loved by her family."