Youth ‘did not realise knife was in hand’

The 17-year-old, who was 16 at the time, claimed he wanted to flee when he saw Michael “Angel” Graham on Scarborough seafront but was “frozen to the spot”.

He told Teesside Crown Court he could not remember removing from his pocket the flick-knife a friend had bought for him earlier that afternoon. He maintained he thought he was only punching 19-year-old Mr Graham in the back when he was actually stabbing him, the murder trial heard.

The jury has been told Mr Graham, 19, from Scarborough, died after being stabbed 12 times in the back in a brawl on Scarborough seafront. Mr Graham’s 17-year-old friend was also wounded in the leg when he went to help him, the jury has heard.

The trial has been told Mr Graham’s attacker counted the knife thrusts so he could later text friends he had stabbed him 12 times. Victim and killer had been friends but fell out after Mr Graham taunted the younger boy for sleeping with a 12-year-old girl, it has been alleged.

The accused murderer told yesterday how he and seven other teenagers made their way down to Foreshore Road from McDonald’s via the Italian Gardens on the night of the double stabbing. They were walking down the path two at a time and were at the bottom when the spotted Mr Graham and his 17-year-old friend.

The defendant told the jury: “I froze my steps. My scared face came on. I did not want to move or take any further steps towards the beach. I was scared and my face went white. I was scared and worried what would happen next.”

The court heard Mr Graham was involved in a fight with another man before the defendant “flipped” and stabbed him.

The trial continues.