Murder trial hears stab death upset accused boy

Muhammad Hassam Ali, 17, died from his injuries after he was stabbed in Victoria Square, Birmingham

A 15-year-old boy accused of murdering a teenager in a stabbing told a court he felt "regretful and upset" about the death.

The youth is on trial with his friend, also 15, accused of the murder of Muhammad Hassam Ali, known as Ali, in Birmingham on 20 January.

Jurors at Coventry Crown Court heard the defendant carried a knife for protection, and while he admitted stabbing Ali, 17, had never intended to injure or kill anyone.

Both defendants, who cannot be named because of their age, deny murder and possession of a knife.

Ali died in hospital hours after he was stabbed in the chest as he sat with a friend in Victoria Square.

The accused youth giving evidence on Monday said he only pulled out the knife to "scare" Ali and his friend.

He told his barrister, Michael Ivers KC, he carried a knife for protection in busy areas, having previously been assaulted with weapons.

The court heard the defendant had seen a photo of someone that may have been Ali with another person he believed had previously attacked his cousin.

He added he had only intended to speak to Ali about the incident when he saw him on 20 January.

Jurors heard earlier in the trial two youths approached Ali and his friend, asked where they were from and whether they knew who had "jumped" their mate.

After a conversation lasting about four minutes, the jurors were told, Ali said he did not know what they were talking about and that they were annoying him.

This prompted one of the youths to pull out a large knife and stab him in the chest, the court heard.

In his evidence, the defendant said Ali and his friend became "aggressive".

As he was shown CCTV of the interaction, he said he put his hand down to his right side to "frighten them" and let them know "I had something on me".

"I didn't want to do anything with [the knife]," he said.

Asked why he did not walk away, he told the court he felt scared to turn his back.

Describing the moment Ali was stabbed, he said: "I put [the knife] in front of me, [Ali] leaned back and I thought he was going to do something to me and the knife went into him."

He said he did not realise Ali had been stabbed until he looked back as he ran up the steps in Victoria Square and saw Ali's friend holding the victim's chest.

He told the court he ran because he was "panicking" and learnt Ali had died when he saw it on the news the next day, having burnt the clothes he had been wearing and disposed of the knife.

When asked by Mr Ivers whether he accepted he had killed Ali, the defendant replied "yes".

Mr Ivers asked the defendant how he felt that he had killed somebody, to which he replied: "I feel regretful and upset."

The trial continues.