Teenager bled to death after being stabbed through the heart with zombie knife, court told

A teenage boy bled to death in the street after being stabbed through the heart and lung with a 13.5cm (5.3in) zombie knife in a frenzied attack, a court has heard.

Georgie Mears, 19, from Thornhill, Cardiff, is accused of attacking Tristan Kerr, 17, at a house in Lower Francis Street, Abertridwr, Caerphilly, in February.

Newport Crown Court was told on Tuesday, Kerr collapsed in the arms of a friend and said: "I'm hurting - my side. I love you, bro. You're a good 'un you are."

Mears, along with Connor Palfrey, 24, from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Ricardo Elliot, 27, of no fixed address, and Elexi Manny, 24, from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, all deny murder through joint enterprise.

Kerr was pronounced dead at the scene and a stab wound measuring 13.5cm (5.3in) was later discovered during a post-mortem examination.

Prosecutors said the motive of the alleged attack was unclear, but text messages between Palfrey and Elliot showed they were dealing drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and cannabis, and discussing the collection of drug debts which they described as "straps".

The pair and Mears were driven by Manny in her Volkswagen Polo around locations in Cardiff and Caerphilly.

The court heard the group arrived at the house, which was home to a friend of Kerr, just after 17:30.

Kerr went into the house to play the computer game Fortnite and smoke cannabis with friends.

It is alleged Mears went into the house armed with the knife, which witnesses said was about 10 inches long, slightly curved, with holes in it, and purple and silver in colour.

Mears said, "alright boys" - a greeting which appeared to be directed at Kerr, the court heard.

Mears was described as "acting like a gangster", repeating the phrase, "what you want?" while brandishing the knife.

He was followed by Palfrey carrying a wooden stick, which one witness thought might have had a nail in it.

The court was told that 40 minutes before the attack, Palfrey had turned his phone off.

Palfrey warned the other people in the living room not to get involved. Elliot remained in the hallway acting as a look-out.

Michael Jones KC, prosecuting, said the fatal attack on the teenager took less than two minutes.

He said witness Connor Davies described Mears "stabbing and swinging out" at Kerr, who tried to push him away - before seeing the blade of the large knife going into his coat.

Jones said Palfrey watched the attack while holding the wooden stick above his head "as if warning the others not to get involved".

Others in the house believed he was in charge. He told them: "Stay away, let them have it out."

Jones said it was as if Palfrey was the foreman, stopping Kerr's friends getting involved.

"Although that fatal blow was delivered by Mears, all four of them bear the joint responsibility for, and are therefore guilty of, his murder."

There were emotional scenes in court as doorbell footage showed Kerr leaving the house after being fatally stabbed.

He collapsed further down the street, slumping against the side of the car and calling out in pain.

The jury was also shown footage of the Volkswagen Polo car driven by Manny leaving the house with three passengers one minute and 56 seconds after they arrived.

Further CCTV showed the car being driven at speed.

The court was told the four defendants drove to Hereford and only Manny's phone remained on as she used Google Maps to plot a route to Hereford where they were later arrested.

In the hours before he died, Kerr sent a number of social media messages and videos.

In one, posted at 15.50 to 14 people on Snapchat, the teenager uses the single word Flake - which, the court heard, was a word that can be used to describe cocaine.

In another he sent at 17.08 he included three emojis which, the court was told than an expert had described it as a flare message which could indicate that a drug line was open.

An examination of Manny's phone indicated she had seen that story, the hearing was told.

The trial continues.