Reading stabbing: Park death was not meant to be murder, court hears

A boy charged with stabbing a 13-year-old to death has told a court it "wasn't supposed to be a murder".

Oliver Stephens, known as Olly, was pronounced dead at Bugs Bottom fields in Emmer Green, Reading, on 3 January.

Giving evidence at Reading Crown Court, the defendant admitted he took a knife with him to meet Olly but did not want to harm him.

Two boys, both 14, deny murder. A girl, also 14, and one of the boys, have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

None of them can be identified for legal reasons.

The court previously heard Olly had been "lured" to a park by a girl and "ambushed" by two teenage boys, who were "motivated by perceived grievances" against him.

The alleged attackers were said to have left Olly with stab wounds to the chest and back after a short scuffle.

One of the two accused boys admitted a charge of perverting the course of justice by disposing of clothing worn at the time of the killing.

He changed his plea when the charge was put to him as he began to give evidence on Thursday.

The boy was asked about a text sent the day before the attack by another girl sought to "set up" Olly which said: "I feel like I'm part of a murder team."

He is alleged to have replied: "Nah, it's not a murder, just start tryna get close to him."

Asked to explain this, he told the court: "Obviously it wasn't supposed to be a murder and it's just about trying to get close to him because I wanted him to come out, I wanted to speak to him."

Defence barrister Timothy Raggatt QC asked: "Did you want to do him any harm?"

The boy replied: "No."

He said Olly had been "talking behind our backs, saying things we haven't done".

The defendant said he was also asked by the other accused boy to bring a knife.

He told the jury: "Obviously Olly was probably going to have a knife on him. I know he carries knives, I've seen him with knives."

He said he thought the other boy might have a fight with Olly, while he would "make him say sorry to me for talking about me".

The trial continues.

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