Trial told teenager accused of Leeds murder was usual ‘bubbly’ self at school before stabbing boy

Alfie Lewis, 15, was stabbed to death “in full view” of pupils leaving a primary school in the Horsforth area of Leeds last November.

A 15-year-old boy who has gone on trial over the attack denies murder, claiming he was acting in self-defence.

On Tuesday, a Leeds Crown Court jury heard a statement from one of the defendant’s teachers, who said his behaviour was “nothing out of the ordinary” during the last lesson of the day on November 7.

“He was both bubbly and chatty. He was just his normal self.”

The teacher said the defendant “left the classroom quickly” when the lesson finished, but that “so did most of the other students, as is normal”.

He added: “I can say with absolute certainty there was nothing at all in his behaviour during the lesson that gave me any cause for concern.

“He gave me no indication of what his intentions were.”

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The court also heard evidence from the defendant’s friend, who was walking back from school with him on the day of Alfie’s death.

The witness said there had been nothing unusual about the defendant that day, and he had not mentioned Alfie, or being worried about anything.

He told jurors that as the two of them were walking, they saw Alfie on his own near a crossing close to a primary school.

“Normally we just cut through in front of the gate to the primary school but whilst we were walking (the defendant) just cut off me to go to Alfie’s direction.

“I was just really confused why he just left me, so I just carried on walking.”

The witness said the defendant looked “more concentrated” after seeing Alfie.

He told the court that as he was walking away, he heard Alfie shout: “Chill out.”

The witness said: “I turned round and saw (the defendant) holding a knife and attacking Alfie.”

He said Alfie was walking backwards at the time, adding: “After (the defendant) stabbed Alfie, he just ran off.”

Being questioned by Nicholas Lumley KC, defending, the witness agreed he “must have missed the start of whatever happened” as he had his back to Alfie and the defendant.

He said he had never seen the knife before and did not know where it had been before it was in the defendant’s hand.

Jurors have heard about two previous incidents involving Alfie and the defendant.

Prosecutor Craig Hassall KC said one was in July 2023 when Alfie intervened in a fight involving the defendant, and the second happened on Halloween, when Alfie claimed the defendant threw a firework at him.

Mr Hassall told jurors Alfie had been walking down the street to meet friends at the end of the school day when the defendant, who was 14 at the time, attacked him with a 13cm long kitchen knife he had brought from his home.

He said witnesses recalled Alfie looking “surprised and shocked” and saying to the defendant: “What are you doing?” as the incident unfolded close to St Margaret’s Primary School, in Town Street, Horsforth, just before 3pm on November 7, 2023.

The prosecutor said a post-mortem examination revealed the fatal stab injury was a 14cm deep wound to Alfie’s chest which punctured his heart.

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.”

The trial continues.