Murder trial – teen ‘joined in’
A youth accused of killing a teenager in a group attack has told jurors he thought he would cause "a bruise maybe, at most" by his part in the violence.
Jack Woodley was murdered by 10 youths after he left Houghton Feast last October, it is claimed.
The 18-year-old was punched, kicked, stamped on and stabbed in the back before he later died in hospital, jurors have heard.
A 17-year-old has told jurors he saw trouble break out as he left the funfair to get some food and thought it was just a "normal argument".
He added: "I heard a couple of lasses mention Jack Woodley and his friends had a knife".
The teen said a fight then started and admitted he got involved.
He told jurors: "I went over and joined in.
"I wanted to help my friends."
The youth said he threw a "couple of punches" and added: "I thought it was like a group fight, a group against a group."
He told jurors he did not put his hood up or use any further violence as the trouble moved down an alleyway.
He said he heard someone mention that someone had been stab bed and added :" Iran away. I was shocked and sick."
The youth said he later received a phone call from the teen who admitted he inflicted the fatal wound and told jurors: "He told me he had done it. He asked me to help get rid of the knife."
The youth said he refused to help dispose of the weapon.
Toby Hedworth QC asked the youth what he thought his involvement that night would cause and he replied: "A bruise maybe, at most."
An 18-year-old co-accused, who was 17 at the time, has told the court he also played a minor role in the trouble that night.
He told jurors: "It looked like two groups fighting and it looked like some of my friends were involved. I went over and I threw two punches, to help my friends."
The teen said he ended his involvement after the two blows and added: "It started to look more serious than what it was at the start, more people getting involved.
"I had to be in at 10pm and I went to go and get my bus."
Ten youths, now aged between 14 and 18, deny murder.
A 15-year-old, who accepts he stabbed Jack, has admitted manslaughter, which the other nine deny.