It is alleged a 14-year-old boy murdered Alfie Lewis, 15, outside a primary school in Leeds and a court heard the defendant has admitting possesing a knife
A 15-year-old boy was stabbed through the heart “in full view” of pupils leaving a primary school, a court heard.
Parents and guardians waiting to collect their children saw the stabbing of Alfie Lewis, allegedly carried out by a 14-year-old boy. A court heard Alfie was stabbed twice and died at the scene in Leeds.
The defendant, now 15, is on trial accused of Alfie’s murder as, it is said, he brought a 13cm-long kitchen knife from his home to near a primary school, where the victim had planned to meet friends.
Craig Hassall KC, prosecuting, said witnesses recalled Alfie looking “surprised and shocked” and saying to the defendant: “What are you doing?” as the incident unfolded just before 3pm on November 7, 2023. The prosecutor said: “Alfie did not get as far as meeting any of his friends that day.
“He was approached by (the defendant), and stabbed twice – once in the chest and once in the leg. He collapsed and died in the road close to the primary school in full view of scores of pupils leaving school and the people who were waiting to collect them.”
The court heard a post-mortem examination revealed that the fatal stab injury was a 14cm deep wound to Alfie’s chest which punctured his heart.
Mr Hassall told the jury at Leeds Crown Court: “(The defendant) then fled the scene, dropping the murder weapon in the road close to the primary school.”
The prosecutor said the defendant had already admitted possessing the knife. He added: “As we understand it, (the defendant) will accept that Alfie was killed by the knife from his kitchen drawer at home, but will say that, at all times, he was acting in self-defence.”
Mr Hassall told the jury of seven women and five men: “But all of the witnesses are consistent however in that none of them suggest that Alfie was in any way the aggressor on November 7.
“None of them suggest that it was that Alfie that attacked (the defendant). Several of the witnesses speak of Alfie seeming surprised and shocked at what (the defendant) was doing. Several of them recall hearing Alfie ask of (the defendant): ‘What are you doing?’”
He said: “None of the witnesses heard Alfie shouting at or threatening (the defendant). Insofar as any of the witnesses saw Alfie doing anything towards (the defendant), they describe him trying in vain to defend himself from (the defendant’s) knife. Several of the witnesses describe deliberate blows by (the defendant) to Alfie.”
The defendant, who cannot be named, denies one count of murdering Alfie. He sat next to his father in the well of the court for Mr Hassall’s opening statement.