Teenagers 'very agitated' after stabbing - court

A teenager accused of grievous bodily harm after a 16-year-old was stabbed to death at Seaford railway station looked agitated after the incident and told a nearby resident he wanted to see his mother, jurors have heard.

Prosecutors at Lewes Crown Court have said Joshua Ingram was targeted in the East Sussex town last September in a planned attack over an unpaid £20 drug debt.

Three teenagers are on trial over the death, including a 16-year-old who denies murder but has admitted manslaughter.

A Seaford resident said she saw two boys from her kitchen window who appeared "very agitated" and said one came down the driveway and told her: "Help, they're going to kill me."

The 16-year-old accused of murder has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but prosecutors say he intended to cause "really serious harm" - the defence says the teenager intended to cause "some harm".

He and two other boys aged 15 and 17 are all accused of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. None of the defendants can be named.

The 15-year-old is also on trial charged with assisting an offender, which the 17-year-old has admitted.

The woman told jurors one of the boys said "my best friend has just stabbed somebody in Seaford".

She said both boys appeared upset and one told her he wanted to see his mother.

Shortly afterwards, she called police to report what she had seen and heard, jurors were told.

Witness Warren Greening said Joshua and a friend had been "laughing and bantering" when a third boy ran up and appeared to punch him in the stomach.

Greening said he thought the blows were "playful" until Joshua pulled up his top and said: "I've been stabbed".

The court heard from first aider Mary Lumley, who ran to help Joshua and carried out chest compressions for 10 to 15 minutes until a doctor arrived.

Jurors heard paramedics tried to resuscitate Joshua after he suffered injuries to his heart and lung.

He was pronounced dead about an hour after the attack.

PC Gareth Evers, from Sussex Police, told jurors Joshua's friend imitated holding a knife after the attack. The officer said the boy described the weapon as "not like a Rambo, with edges and that".

Jurors were shown CCTV footage which prosecutors claim shows the alleged assailant approaching Seaford railway station, entering the platform and attacking Joshua before leaving the scene.

The trial continues

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