Youth in stabbing murder trial denies egging on co-defendant
A 16-year-old youth accused of murder has denied egging on his co-defendant moments before a Black Country man was stabbed to death.
Jack Lowe, also known as Jack Norton, suffered a deep knife wound to the chest and died at the scene after he was attacked in a field in Cook Street, in Darlaston, on December 7 last year in front of two friends.
The trial jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Jack, who lived in Alumwell, in Walsall, was stabbed shortly after 9pm by Brandon Price, aged 19, allegedly "egged on" by the 16-year-old youth.
Giving evidence fin the witness box on Monday the youth who cannot be named due to his age denied handing Price a small silver coloured knife that was used to carry out the stabbing.
Miss Michelle Heeley KC, defending the youth, asked him a succession of questions including: Did you encourage Brandon to stab Jack? The youth replied: "No." "Did you give Brandon a knife?" To which the youth also replied: "No." The questions were in response to claims by a 16-year-old prosecution witness who had told the jury that she thought the youth handed Price "something".
The youth said if he gave Price anything it would have been a vape as he had been using one. He told the jury that he did not know Jack was going to be stabbed, that he had not seen Price with a knife at any point that afternoon.
"I was walking off when the stabbing happened. I wanted to go back home," the youth said.
He also said that Jack had not tried to hit him or headbutted him at any time during the incident which happened in a field known locally as Cookie Park. Price previously told the jury that the Jack tried to headbutt the youth during an argument.
Miss Heeley asked what he did after the attack. "I was shocked and scared. I froze.I didn't know what to do," the youth replied. He also denied that they were "whooping" and "laughing" in celebration as they left the scene.
He said he could not remember hearing Price say the words "we've done it" and "you didn't think I would have done it" which had been allegedly recorded on a nearby door device
The youth and Price, of Mellish Road, Walsall, are jointly charged with murdering the victim. The defendants claimed they were acting in self-defence. Both deny murder and having a bladed article.
The trial continues.
