Roberts Buncis murder trial: murder accused told friend 'victim had a knife'

A teenage boy accused of murder told another boy the victim "had a knife", a court has heard.

Roberts Buncis, 12, was found stabbed to death in woodland in the Fishtoft area of Boston in December 2020.

A witness told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court he received a text message from the accused boy saying that Roberts had a knife and had sliced the defendant's finger open.

He said he did not believe the accused as Roberts "never carried any knives".

Defence barrister Brendan Kelly QC cross examined the 14-year-old witness about the messages he exchanged with the accused boy after Roberts' death.

"At no stage did [the defendant] tell you that he was carrying a knife," said Mr Kelly.

"What he told you was that he had been stabbed by Roberts."

The witness responded: "Yes, apparently."

Later another witness told the court he had spent the the day after Roberts' death with the accused boy walking around Boston.

He told the court the defendant had injured his right hand. "He was all plastered up, he said he had cut himself." During their walk the witness said the defendant received a phone call from a friend saying that Roberts had gone missing.

The witness said the accused boy "was panicky" after the call and "didn't know what to do". He then said he was sick and went home.

The 14-year-old defendant, who cannot be named due to his age, denies murder. The trial continues.

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