Reading stabbing: Boy admitted killing in text, court hears

Olly Stephens was stabbed to death in Emmer Green in Reading

A boy charged with stabbing a teenager to death admitted in a text he did it "out of pure anger", a court has heard.

Oliver Stephens, known as Olly, was pronounced dead at Bugs Bottom fields in Emmer Green, Reading, on 3 January.

Reading Crown Court heard details of text messages in which the defendant said it had been the "biggest mistake of my life".

Two boys, both 14, deny murder. A girl, also 14, and one of the boys, have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

The court previously heard Olly had been "lured" to a park by a girl and "ambushed" by two teenage boys, who were "motivated by perceived grievances" against him.

The alleged attackers were said to have left Olly with stab wounds to the chest and back after a short scuffle.

Olly was pronounced dead at Bug Bottom fields near his home in Emmer Green

Voice message exchanges retrieved from mobile phones were also played to the jury.

Two hours after Olly was declared dead, one of the accused boys recorded a voice message saying: "Boy it was me and my boy innit.

"I started slapping him up and then my boy backed out and then shanked [knifed] him."

An hour and a half later the other accused boy exchanged text messages with another teenager, the court was told.

Jurors were told he was asked: "Did you kill Olly?"

He replied: "It was the biggest mistake of my life."

When asked: "Why did you do it?", the court was told he replied: "Out of pure anger... I didn't mean to. I just saw red."

The court also heard evidence from witnesses who had been walking in the area around the time of the attack.

One who knew Olly told the court he looked "good" and seemed in "a bright mood and smiling" when he had seen him before the attack.

The trial continues.