THE youth accused of stabbing another teenager who later died from knife injuries initially told police he was not in possession of any bladed object that evening, a murder trial jury has heard.

On the resumption of the Newcastle Crown Court trial of those accused of being involved in the ultimately fatal assault on 18-year-old Jack Woodley, police interviews with the suspects have been read to the jury.

Mr Woodley, originally from Newton Aycliffe, but living in the Sunderland area at the time, was stabbed during a mass confrontation in an alleyway next to The Britannia pub, off The Broadway, Houghton-le-Spring, on Saturday October 16 last year, on what was the last night of the annual Houghton Feast fun fair.

The trial has heard that he died from a stab wound to the back, in hospital, the following night.

When he was first interviewed on suspicion of murder, on October 18, the 15-year-old youth accused of committing the stabbing told police he had been to the fairground with friends and later saw a fight with a number of people punching Mr Woodley.

Asked if he was responsible for the assault, he replied: “I’m not responsible. I’m not.”

He said he did not know who was responsible for the stabbing, and told police he later knew Mr Woodley had been stabbed, but he did not know who was responsible.

Asked if he, “laid a hand on him”, he said: “I didn’t touch him.”

When asked in more detail he said as he approached the scene of the melee he heard people saying: “Bray him” and then youths were running over punching Mr Woodley.

He said he then left and went to the home of a relative where he was told of the stabbing, before his father came to collect him and they walked home.

When later shown cctv of a figure said to be him, carrying what police believe was a knife, he denied it was him.

The youth has subsequently admitted having inflicted a stab wound and has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but he denies murder.

Nine other youths, now aged between 14 and 18, deny murder.

Read more: Judge hopes Jack Woodley murder trial can resume later in week

In their police interviews also read to the court some of the other accused said they knew the 15-year-old had a knife as he had earlier been bragging about it and having been in trouble with police in the past for stabbing.

One of the accused said as the group rounded on Mr Woodley he heard shouts of, “chop him” before the 15-year-old “nudged” past him to get to the victim.

He said he told that youth “not to” and to “put it away”, but he went towards Mr Woodley before fleeing the scene.

A few seconds later he was aware of a rip in the back of Mr Woodley’s body warmer, where the stab wound was inflicted.

The trial, which had been delayed by more than a week due to jurors suffering with Covid, continues.

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