A 16-year-old jointly accused of murder told a jury he was 'shocked and a little bit scared' when he realised a teen had been stabbed in a field. The youth claimed he'd shouted 'you've killed him' at his co-accused and insisted he had not been in possession of a knife that night or encouraged any violence.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is currently standing trial for the murder of Jack Norton - also known as Jack Lowe - alongside 19-year-old Brandon Price. Jack was 18 when he died after being stabbed in the chest in Darlaston on December 7 last year.

The prosecution had argued that while Price was the one who stabbed Jack, his co-defendant was also responsible as he'd 'egged him on'. Price previously told the jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court he was acting in self-defence when Jack was fatally wounded. He'd said Jack had attempted to headbutt his co-accused during a 'heated' argument and had then tried to hit him with a bottle' when he'd pushed him away. Price had said this prompted him to get the knife his co-defendant had 'passed to him' earlier that night out of his pocket - however the 16-year-old defendant told the court that had not happened.

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The 16-year-old said he had been with Price when they saw Jack and his two female friends on Franchise Street. He told the jury he hadn't known the group but had 'randomly' said: 'Don't you remember us?'. He said they had turned and looked but continued to walk until Price had said: 'Don't you remember me, Jack?'

The youth told the court he hadn't said anything else to Jack - and had made no threats towards him when they were outside a pub, or as they made their way to 'Cookie Park', off Cook Street. He denied witnesses' claims that he'd made comments about wanting to 'run Jack over', 'set him on fire' or 'see juices' and said: "I was mostly speaking to Brandon."

He said there had been 'no problems' between the two groups and they were 'just chilling', adding that Price had been behaving in a 'normal' manner towards Jack. The youth also denied giving Price a knife while they were in the park and said the 'only thing' he had on him was his vape. He told the court he didn't know what had led to Price stabbing Jack, nor did he know it was going to happen as he hadn't seen the weapon.

The 16-year-old said he was 'walking off' when Jack was stabbed, telling the court: "I wanted to get back home so I walked off." He said Jack had not tried to hit him or headbutt him and he hadn't seen Jack bring a bottle towards Price. The youth told the court he had not encouraged Price to stab Jack. Recalling when he realised Jack had been stabbed, he told the court: "I was shocked and a bit scared, I froze." The youth denied laughing or 'whooping' in the aftermath and told the court: "I was shouting 'you've killed him, you've killed him'. I was shaking, I was scared."

He told the court it was Price's idea to get rid of the knife and he hadn't helped him. The teen said he'd 'got rid' of the clothes he was wearing by putting them in a bin. He said: "I didn't know what to do with them. I was scared and panicking." Following his arrest, the court heard he had not answered any questions posed by him to the police. He told the jury he had been acting on a solicitor's advice to give 'no comment'.

Both Price, of Mellish Road, Walsall, and his co-accused deny murder and possession of a bladed article. The trial continues.