Birmingham murder trial: Accused 'should have been in exam'

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Hazrat UmarImage source, Family Handout
Image caption,

Hazrat Umar, a South and City College Birmingham student, died in February

A teenager supposed to be sitting a college exam was instead committing a "vicious and unprovoked" murder, a court was told.

Hazrat Umar, 18, was found fatally stabbed in Norwood Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, on 25 February.

Prosecutors said he suffered 15 knife wounds during the attack, which was caught on CCTV lasting 47 seconds.

The defendant, 17, denies murdering Mr Umar, who was the third teenager to be killed in the city in 12 days.

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admits possessing an offensive weapon, namely a knife.

Prosecutor Miranda Moore QC said he and a friend should have been sitting an exam on 25 February but turned up late to college and were told to come back and re-sit it.

The court heard they failed to return at 14:00 GMT and CCTV from the same time showed them and the victim walking in the street.

Footage shown to the jury showed the accused carrying out "a vicious, unprovoked attack from behind", prosecutors told Birmingham Crown Court.

Image source, Family handout
Image caption,

Hazrat Umar was the third teenager to be killed in Birmingham in 12 days

At about 14:25, the defendant was seen on CCTV going down to a canal, the court heard.

A witness saw blood dripping from his hands and was asked by the defendant for water to wash them, it was said.

The prosecution said the accused then went to hospital with his mother and uncle and gave "a completely bogus account" of an injury to his arm to an emergency nurse.

In a statement, a police constable said she went to City Hospital and the teen was filmed on her body-worn camera saying he was "jumped" and did not "see their faces".

The trial continues.

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