Murder-accused boy, 14, had 'fixation with knives'

The court was told the stabbing "was an accident or that it happened in self-defence"

A 14-year-old boy who had a "fixation with knives" stabbed a man to death, a court has been told.

The defendant, who cannot be named because of his age, denies murdering Darren Edginton, 39, in the St Pauls area of Bristol on 21 June.

Bristol Crown Court was told the boy was overheard saying "I'm going to kill" before the victim was stabbed.

Mr Edginton was taken to hospital but died a short time later from a wound to his chest.

Andrew Langdon QC, prosecuting, said: "Though he is only 14 years old, [the defendant] has an established history of carrying knives."

He added there were more than 600 images of knives on his phone and a video of him holding a flick-knife.

Mr Edginton and friend Nico Newbury, 27, arrived outside a shop in Grosvenor Road in Bristol at 17:40 BST - about five minutes before the stabbing occurred.

'Hostile fairly quickly'

The court was told that the victim, Mr Newbury, the defendant and most of his friends were on bicycles and witnesses heard Mr Edginton shout about a stolen bike.

Mr Langdon said the argument became "hostile fairly quickly" and that Mr Newbury saw the victim holding up his bike as if "fending off an attack".

He then saw the boy's hand withdrawing a knife and Mr Erdington said: "I've been stabbed", the court was told.

It heard the boy initially denied any involvement but blood found on his trainers matched the victim's DNA.

"He does now accept that it was him who held the knife that caused the fatal stab wound," Mr Langdon said. "He says it was an accident or that it happened in self-defence."

The trial continues.