Sheffield: Schoolboy ‘stabbed older bully to death with kitchen knife’

The 15-year-old attacker had packed the knife in his lunchbox and took it to school before the pair met up later and began arguing.

Sheffield Crown Court heard the 15-year-old produced a knife from his sleeve and twice stabbed 18-year-old Joey Smith, one a glancing blow, the other entering his heart.

A friend told the court via a video link that the younger boy armed himself because, “He said there was a lad who was picking on him, just bullying him and giving him a hard time.”

Michelle Colborne QC, prosecuting, earlier told a jury that the 15-year-old had boasted to his friend that he was going to use the knife to “stab a lad who was p**ssing him off”.

She said: “He claimed he was always starting on him.

“He was going to give him a couple of stabs in the leg. He wanted to show him who was who.”

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted the manslaughter of Joey Smith at a Doncaster area village on March 23 this year, but denies his murder.

Mr Smith, who was unemployed, had a daughter and his girlfriend Hayley Webster is expecting their second child.

Miss Colborne told the jury Mr Smith, who was unarmed, was struck twice with the knife. The blow which entered the heart led to a “very speedy death”.

He was rushed to hospital but died shortly afterwards in Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

The prosecution said the 15-year-old accepted he stabbed the deceased during an altercation in the street but claimed it was either an accident or self-defence.

Miss Colborne said the pair had argued earlier in the day and the schoolboy threatened to knife Mr Smith.

The 15-year-old returned home and armed himself with a steak knife which he used in the attack, she alleged.

That day the defendant went to school by bus with a friend who was on work placement. On the back seat of the bus the 15-year-old took out the knife and playfully poked his friend with it.

When he talked about why he had brought the knife Miss Colborne said: “This was the first time he had mentioned any rivalry or bullying to his close friend.”

When they got off the bus the 15-year-old joked about stabbing “for fun” a boy playing football in the street before dumping the knife in a storm drain.

Mr Smith, who had been smoking pot in a shed with a friend earlier in the day, encountered the 15-year-old after school.

The younger boy swore and threatened to knife the 18-year-old, who laughed at him before adopting a fighting stance.

Miss Colborne said the 15-year-old gestured and ran away.

The pair eventually met up at teatime in the village.

They began arguing and Mr Smith ran at the defendant and swung a punch.

The 15-year-old, who had the knife up his sleeve, retaliated and began shouting at his rival. He aimed a blow and the older man looked down and saw he had been stabbed.

Miss Colborne said the 15-year-old then threw his arms up in triumph and ran away.

The trial continues.