Teen denies attempted murder of 16-year-old boy

A teenager accused of the attempted murder of a 16-year-old boy has told a court he had no memory of the alleged attack.

The victim was found by police with injuries to his throat and chest in Holbeach, Lincolnshire last July, jurors at Lincoln Crown Court heard.

The 16-year-old defendant said he accepted wounding the other youth, but had no reason to cause him harm.

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, has admitted a charge of unlawful wounding but denies attempted murder and wounding the other boy with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm.

It is alleged the boy left his victim for dead after carrying out a violent attack on a piece of land next to the William Stukeley primary school.

The prosecutors claim the boy was wounded after he passed out after drinking vodka which was bought by an adult from a local shop.

Giving evidence, the defendant said he remembered drinking alcohol with the youth and a teenage girl on a bench.

He said the other two teenagers became emotional and he laid the other boy down on the ground because he was "too drunk".

Jurors heard the defendant then offered to walk the teenage girl home.

Defence barrister Karen Walton asked the boy what was his last clear memory of that evening.

He replied: "From when I put him down on the ground and sat on the bench it all goes a bit fuzzy."

Asked what his next clear memory was, the boy replied: "Being arrested and that is a bit blurry."

The prosecution claimed the defendant had made a video call to another teenage girl from the bench in which he could be seen holding an unbroken beer bottle.

He also made a threat to slit the other boy's throat, the prosecution alleged.

Jurors heard the defendant had a history of being referred to mental health services and carried out a previous assault on a friend which he said he could not remember.

Under cross-examination from prosecutor Stuart Lody, the boy denied a suggestion that his explanation of blackouts was a convenient reason to avoid taking responsibility for what he had done on this occasion.

The boy said he "felt frightened" after learning from the police about the assault and told jurors he now accepted wounding the other youth.

"Everything points to me being there," he explained.

But the youth denied acting out of jealousy and said he had no reason to harm the other boy.

The trial continues.

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