Yahoo News Boy, 14, accused of stabbing man to death in Bristol had a 'fixation with knives'
A 14-year-old boy who stabbed a man to death in Bristol had a “fixation with knives”, a court has heard.
The defendant, who remains unnamed for legal reasons, is accused of murdering Darren Edgington, 39, after an argument in the St Pauls area of the city on June 21.
A jury at Bristol Crown Court heard the boy was overheard saying “I’m going to kill” moments before the fatal stabbing.
Andrew Langdon QC, prosecuting, told the jury the boy had a “fixation with knives” and had been given a caution when he was aged 13 after being found carrying a large hunting knife.
Two days before Mr Edgington’s death, a knife also fell out of his pocket while he was in a cafe and the night before the stabbing, a family member saw a knife on his bed and photographed it.
“Though he is only 14-years-old, he has an established history of carrying knives,” Mr Langdons said.
“He had an interest in the use of knives by others to stab.”
After his arrest, police found another knife in his befroom and a history of news stories on his phone which involved fatal stabbings.
There were also said to be a total of 600 images of knives downloaded on his mobile.
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On the evening of the stabbing Mr Edgington was said to have confronted the boy and a “number of other lads” about a stolen bicycle.
After the argument escalated Mr Edgington attempted to escape before a witness said they saw the stabbing occur.
Emergency services attended the scene but Mr Edgington died a short time later from a stab wound to his chest.
The boy was arrested at 3am the following day was linked to the stabbing by a spot of blood found on trainers taken from his bedroom.
“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 boy denies murder and the trial continues.
