Newhaven murder: Teenager accused over Elphick Road stabbing

The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is accused of plunging the knife into 18-year-old Ollie Wells with “severe force”.

A piece of the knife was left wedged 13cm deep into his brain during the incident at Elphick Road in Newhaven.

He also suffered another fatal stab wound to the back that went through to his heart.

Ollie was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics on January 6 this year.

His family said he struggled with autism and was often misunderstood.

They said he was a “much-loved family member” and said the news of his death was “devastating”.

The teenage defendant has gone on trial for murder at Hove Crown Court this week.

Sarah Jones QC, prosecuting, opened the Crown’s case and said a woman witnessed the defendant striking Ollie with a metal letter box moments before the stabbing. The 18-year-old was “crouching down” trying to defend himself.

The woman went outside and saw he had been stabbed in the head, so she called 999.

During the call, she is heard desperately trying to save his life, while the defendant appeared “reluctant” to do anything to help.

When a call operator asked if the defendant had stabbed him on purpose, the woman replied: “It was a frenzy.”

A pool of blood was left on the street as paramedics arrived. Police launched a murder investigation

Ms Jones QC said: “Both were young men and should have had their lives ahead of them.

“But the defendant stabbed Ollie Wells twice. Once in the head and once in the back, and in so doing killed him.

“Mr Wells was pronounced dead at the scene, a young man lost his life and was cruelly murdered by another young man.”

She said the woman had seen the defendant with the bloody knife, and said the witness’s account was both “compelling and horrifying”.

The defendant gave a prepared statement to the police about feeling under threat from Ollie Wells and a group of “four lads in a car”.

He is set to claim he acted in self defence during the incident, and had struck Ollie by swinging the knife around to “scare him off”.

But Ms Jones QC said the defendants’ case is “ludicrous” and suggested Ollie Wells may have been stabbed in the back first before being stabbed in the head as he lay on the floor.

The defendant, aged under 18, denies murder and the trial continues.

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