Sidali Mohamed death: Murder accused 'intended to stab student'

Sidali Mohamed's family said they fled Somalia when he was a toddler

A teenager accused of killing a student outside a college said he "intended to stab him, but not cause serious harm", a court has heard.

Sidali Mohamed, 16, was knifed in an attack lasting less than a minute near Joseph Chamberlain College in Highgate, Birmingham, on 13 February.

A 17-year-old boy denies Sidali's murder and six other offences.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he had never met Sidali until the stabbing.

He was armed with a knife when he headed to the college after his friend and cousin had been encountering issues with a group of boys, the trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told.

The teenager claimed Sidali - who was not carrying a knife - had gestured towards his waist line and a fight broke out.

He said he felt "threatened" and "panicked" as the pair struggled on the ground.

The court heard the defendant was 16 years old at the time of the stabbing

"I intended to stab him but not to cause serious injury," he told the court.

"If that never happened he would still have carried on fighting me."

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He added: "I probably was wrong for throwing the first jab (punch). I felt at that time threatened... I was trying to get him to back off."

The defendant denies murder, two counts of wounding with intent, two counts of having an offensive weapon, threatening another with an offensive weapon and unlawful wounding.

The trial continues.