Murder accused 'worked together', court told

Eddie Kinuthia, 19, died after being stabbed near his home in July 2023

Two men accused of stabbing a teenager to death and attacking another worked as a "joint enterprise", a court has heard.

Zachariah Talbert-Young, 27, of Easton and Paul Hayden, 22, of Hanham, are charged with the murder of Eddie Kinuthia, 19, who was stabbed yards away from his home in the Grosvenor Road area of St Pauls, Bristol, on 21 July 2023.

The defendants are also charged with attempted murder in relation to an attack on another 19-year-old man, who was stabbed on Easton Way on 2 February 2024. Police said he suffered "serious" injuries, but survived.

A third man, Remi Hitchcock, 30, of Easton, is charged with assisting an offender in relation to the death of Mr Kinuthia.

The jury at Bristol Crown Court watched CCTV footage of the attack on Mr Kinuthia, which showed two men dressed in black with their faces covered on an electric bike.

The passenger, who was armed with a knife, got off the e-bike and attacked Mr Kinuthia, before the pair rode away.

Andrew Langton KC, prosecuting, said Mr Talbert-Young and Mr Hayden were "close associates" who had known each other a long time.

He added: "Although it was the pillion passenger who wielded the knife, it was a joint effort… this was joint enterprise murder."

'On the run'

The e-bike used in the attack was "relatively distinctive", so the attackers would "want to get rid of it or at least move it away from any address they were associated with", Mr Langton said.

The court heard that about an hour after Mr Kinuthia was stabbed, a Volkswagen Transporter van was driven to an address on Devon Road in the Whitehall area of Bristol to collect the e-bike.

CCTV shown to the court showed Mr Talbert-Young's cousin, Mr Hitchcock, loading the bike into the back of the van while wearing a "distinctive" graphic t-shirt.

In the months following the fatal attack, all three men were arrested and released pending further enquiries by police.

'Joint enterprise'

The second charge relates to an attack which happened shortly after 23:00 GMT on 2 February 2024, when a man was stabbed while trying to adjust faulty brakes on his scooter on Easton Way.

The victim told police that Mr Hayden had stabbed him - he said he recognised his "deep and distinctive" voice.

CCTV footage showed three people committing the attack, arriving and fleeing the scene in a silver Volkswagen Golf.

Mr Hayden's DNA was found on a coat retrieved at the scene, as well as inside the car, police said, and officers also found Mr Talbert-Young's DNA on the steering wheel.

Mr Langton said the attack was "another joint enterprise".

Mr Hayden and Mr Talbert-Young were arrested in connection with the second attack when police traced them to a property in Jude Close in Chelmsford, Essex, on 17 February 2024.

Mr Langton said: "When they were arrested for a final time in February 2024, they were on the run together."

The trial continues.