A BOY who is accused of murdering a Southampton teen has claimed he was acting in self-defence.

The 15-year-old, from Andover, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of stabbing James Laurie to death on January 19.

Daily Echo:

As reported by the Echo, the jury had earlier heard that James and two boys left a party to buy alcohol at around 6am on the day the incident happened, but when they walked past a car an “altercation” arose.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, “jumped out” and chased the trio, the court heard.

One witness described hearing a popping sound the moment James was stabbed and when his friends realised he was “in a bad way” they dialled 999.

Yesterday the court heard that the defendant and a female friend had driven to a party in Lindsay Road in the Thornhill area of Southampton before the incident.

Shortly after they arrived, in the early hours on January 19, a friend of the female driver got in the car, the jury was told.

Daily Echo:

Just minutes later one of James’ friends opened the driver’s door and grabbed the keys from the ignition.

Prosecution barrister Tahir Khan QC said the defendant claims he got out the Vauxhall Astra to get the keys back from James and his two friends.

However, one of them “pulled out something” which he believed to be a knife.

Mr Khan, telling the defendant’s version of events, explained how the youngster claimed the boys tried to rob him and he was the “victim” and that two of them shouted “stab him, stab him” and ran back into the house in Lindsay Road to get

knives.

Daily Echo:

The defendant said he felt threatened and accepted he was carrying a knife.

James, 17, was left with a 5cm deep wound in his right chest cavity.

Mr Khan told the jury his friends tried to stem the bleeding but James had suffered a severed artery and could not be saved.

The trial continues.