Teen who stabbed schoolboy with sword 'was in shock' when told he was a killer, court told

Despite thrusting an sword into Ronan Kanda, the teen claimed he had no idea he had injured his victim until he was at home later that night on June 29 last year.

The 17-year-old from Walsall, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took to the stand at Wolverhampton Crown Court on the first day of the case for the defence.

When asked how he felt when he realised he had killed Ronan he told jurors: "I could not believe it. I was just in shock.

"I could not believe it was Ronan. It was not meant to be Ronan. I could not believe I killed someone."

He added: "Food was delivered to the house, but I could not eat a thing."

The boy did admit throwing out a bin liner full of the packaging of a vast array of knives, machetes and swords he had purchased from DNA Leisure.

After explaining his feud with another boy at his school, which started with a fight in a playground, he explained he built an armoury of knives and swords at his home because he "was scared" of his rival.

He even had a giant machete called The Jungle Master which had terrifying serrated edges, lock knives and a sword set. However, when he and three others, one who cannot be named and Josiah Francis and Joseph Whittaker, drove to Bilston looking for his rival he took two swords.

Within a matter of days he was arrested and being questioned by police about the killing. He claimed he went against his solicitor's advice to say no comment and decided to answer questions, he then told the detectives the truth that it was him who stabbed Ronan.

When asked if he was crying during the interview, he said: "Yes, I was upset, I told them I did not mean to hurt anyone. We went to Mount Road to look for who we were after. We saw Ronan who looked like who we were after.

"I tried just poking it round (the sword) around and then it went in (Ronan). It was Ronan, my good friend. I did not mean to hurt him. I did not intend to stab him."

On Thursday under cross-examination by Mr Philip Bradley KC representing Francis, asked the the youth about information given in his police interview after his arrest days after the stabbing.

The 17-year-old insisted that co-defendant Francis who drove the car to Mount Road, knew there was a plan to confront someone and knew about the weapons.

Mr Bradley put to him: "These we're all lies weren't they?"

The youth replied: "Not all of it." He also admitted that Francis did not know Ronan and accepted that involving him was a risk to his plan and that the driver's involvement would have meant trouble for his co-defendant.

Mr Bradley said: "That is why you took the precaution of disguising your face in the hope that you would not be recognised."

The youth replied: "Yes."

The defence barrister went on to ask: "In this case if you were telling the truth about Josiah, that he knew the truth, he took absolutely no precaution did he? He drove his own car, he did not have cloned plates, he ran all that risk for the sake of £15 petrol money?"

"He paid for that petrol in full view of the CCTV cameras. Josiah Francis was not in disguise."

The youth twice replied "yes" to the questions put to him.

The two youths; Francis, of Westcote Avenue, Northfield, and Whittaker, 18, of Raven Hays Road, Rubery, both in Birmingham, are accused of killing him. Francis and Whittaker are also both accused of possessing swords. The trial continues.