A jury will retire today to consider its verdict in the trial of three teenagers accused of the attempted murder of a schoolboy in Halewood.
The 16-year-victim was left fighting for his life after suffering serious stab wounds to his chest, abdomen and back on March 9 this year.
Prosecutors say two of his friends were also injured in the attack by Scott Fergie, 18, Matthew McLeod, 18, and another 16-year-old boy.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admits stabbing the schoolboy, whom he claimed “bullied him”, but denies trying to kill him.
He told Liverpool Crown Court that McLeod gave him a pen-knife in the build up to the fight in Okell Drive, telling him “don’t hesitate to use it”.
But McLeod, of Bracknell Avenue, Kirkby, said that he did not take or know any weapons were being taken to the “meet” near Plantation Woods.
He told the jury: “I thought it was going to be a straightener. Just a normal fist fight.”
McLeod said he agreed to go with his best friend Fergie out of loyalty, because of a dispute between the boy and the other group of youths.
He told the jury that when Fergie asked him in a message “have you got it all G?” his friend was referring to cannabis, not knives.
Facebook row between groups
Fergie, of Oxford Road, Huyton, admitted taking a knuckle duster to the incident after arguing with one of the rival group on Facebook, when threats were exchanged.
But he told the jury he did not use it and did not show it to his friends, despite earlier sending the boy a picture of a knuckle duster when he asked “what will I have G?”
The teenager said he only took the weapon “in case anything bad happened”.
He had previously denied having the weapon, but said he now admitted it because “I’m under oath and I’ve seen how other people lie and they get caught out”.
Fergie said that when he sent McLeod a message, asking him “are you game for stamping on a few heads?” he was only asking his pal to back him up in case he was “jumped”.
Fergie said that when he referred to the other group as “victims” it was just meant as an insult and not a suggestion that they would become victims.
He denied seeing the boy pass McLeod a knife and said that during the fight he only threw punches after he was hit on the head with a wooden log.
Prosecutors say Fergie punched one complainant in the side of the head with the knuckle duster and that McLeod stabbed the schoolboy in the back and another teen in the leg.
But the teenagers deny these allegations and deny trying to “save their own skin” by blaming the boy for all the injuries that were caused.
The 16-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to the wounding of the main victim and two others who were injured in the incident, but denies attempted murder.
Fergie and McLeod deny attempted murder and the wounding, with or without intent, of the two others.
(Proceeding)
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/