Darlaston stabbing victim tried to headbutt accused during row, jury told in murder trial

The victim, Jack Lowe also known as Jack Norton, suffered a deep knife wound to the rib cage and died at the scene after being struck in a field in Cook Street, in Darlaston, on December 7 last year.

Jack, of Alumwell, in Walsall, was attacked in front of his friends Mia Johnson, now 19, and a 16-year-old girl, shortly after 9pm by Brandon Price, also now 19.

Giving evidence in the witness box at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, Price said he did not intend to kill Jack when he stabbed him twice in the chest.

Price, of Mellish Road, also in Walsall said the stabbing happened when his co-defendant who was aged 15 at the time got into an argument with Jack after threatening him.

"It got heated and I saw Jack try to headbutt him. I didn't see Jack's head connect with his. They were standing very close.

"I pushed him and I pushed Jack who tried to hit me with the bottle he was drinking from. I took the knife out of my jeans pocket. I swung it two or three times.

"Jack was holding his chest," he told the jury.

He said he realised it was the knife that caused the bleeding.

Defence counsel Mr Phil Bradley KC asked Price: "Did you intend to kill him? Did you intend to cause him really serious harm?" In response to the questions Price shook his head from side to side.

He explained to the jury that he first met Jack when they had previously been pupils at the Success Unit based at Ormiston Shelfield Academy, in Shelfield, in Walsall.

The defendant said when he saw Jack and the girls in Franchise Street it was the first time he had seen him in two years.

Price told the jury: "It was an okay atmosphere at first. I was catching up with Jack and having a general chat."

He said the co-defendant, now aged 16, started threatening Jack and he did not think the youth was "being serious at first".

Price moved his arm to demonstrate to the court how the youth, who cannot be named due to his age, handed him the knife shortly after they walked into the field.

The jury previously heard that the pair fled from the scene on foot and were recorded on a doorbell device "whooping" and congratulating each other in celebration after the fatal stabbing.

Price, and the youth also from Walsall, claimed they were acting in self-defence. Both deny joint offences of murdering Jack and having a bladed article.

The trial continues.