Youth kicked at boy to avoid 'looking like coward'

Thomas Taylor, 17, died after being stabbed near Bedford bus station

A teenager who kicked at a youth under attack on the ground has told a murder trial how he did not want to "look like a coward".

She'ma Dixon, 18, is one of five teenagers from Bedford who deny murdering 17-year-old Thomas Taylor near the town's bus station on 8 January.

Mr Dixon, of Baldur Close, told a jury at Luton Crown Court he did not "intend to cause any harm".

Thomas died after being stabbed in Greenhill Street just before 18:00 GMT, in what prosecutors said was a planned attack following an earlier incident.

Jurors have been shown this picture of She'ma Dixon, who said he had thrown a "half-hearted kick"

Prosecution barrister Mark Heywood KC previously told the trial that Thomas was "effectively left for dead" after being stabbed in the pedestrianised street.

Alongside Mr Dixon, the following all deny murder:

• Ahmed Adam, 18, of Mardale Close

• Bennett Ndenkeh, 19, of Midland Road

• Riaz Miah, 18, whose address prosecutors just gave as Bedford

• A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of his age

'Ran away'

Jurors have seen CCTV footage showing Thomas on the floor being attacked by a number of youths.

It showed Mr Dixon, aged 17 when Thomas died, running towards the youths and kicking at Thomas.

He, and others, are then seen running away.

"I threw a half-hearted kick," Mr Dixon told jurors.

"I didn't want to look like a coward.

"I kicked at the person on the floor. I ran away. I just wanted to get out of there."

Mr Dixon told jurors that he "kicked at" Thomas but did not make "contact".

He said he did not stamp on Thomas.

The prosecution barrister has told the trial that footage showed Thomas being stabbed by Mr Ndenkeh - and stamped on by others.

Mr Dixon, who said he did not know Thomas, told jurors: "I didn't see any weapons. I didn't intend to cause any harm."

Riaz Miah had been assaulted days before Thomas Taylor was fatally attacked, jurors heard

Mr Heywood previously said the "background" to the attack "almost certainly" related to an incident some days earlier involving Mr Miah and the attack on Thomas was "deliberate".

The trial continues.