A BOY accused of killing a Southampton teen told police that he didn’t even know he had stabbed anyone.
The 15-year-old is accused of murdering James Laurie during an incident in a city street.
The jury at Winchester Crown Court heard that the teen claims he is innocent and was acting in self-defence during the incident on January 19 in Lindsay Road.
The court heard that when he was arrested he said he didn’t know he had stabbed anyone and was in a state of shock.
During a police interview, he was also asked why he was carrying a knife.
The weapon involved has never been found.
He responded that certain people in certain areas of Southampton do not like him and said knives are “scary”.
James, 17, was rushed to hospital at around 7am but died of his injuries more than five hours later at 12.20pm.
CCTV played to the court on Tuesday showed the defendant run into the Co-op store in Hinkler Road shortly after James was fatally stabbed. He told staff he had been the victim of an attempted robbery.
However, he was arrested for attempted murder at 6.49am when James was still “gravely ill”.
Over the following days he gave four no-comment interviews.
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Half-way through his fifth interview on January 21 he presented a pre-prepared statement and went on to answer further police questions.
The interview was read out in court by prosecution barrister Tahir Khan QC and DC Nigel Horner.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted he was carrying a knife at the time.
When asked about the blade he described it as a tactical knife and said it was no longer than his forearm.
He told police officers he got rid of the knife because he “was scared and didn’t know what to do”.
The trial continues.
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