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Ben’s sister Brooke and mum Deborah on a march in memory of the teenager in July last year |
‘Revving up’: Court told of tensions before stabbing
THE Old Bailey heard yesterday (Wednesday) how tensions boiled over between drunken teenagers shortly before teenager Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death in York Way.
The 16-year-old, described as “blameless”, was on a night out with friends on June 29 last year when he was chased, trapped and stabbed 11 times.
One of Ben’s friends told the court – on condition of anonymity – that Jade Braithwaite, 20, one of three accused of the killing, threatened to use his knife outside Shillibeers bar in Holloway after a fight spilled out into the beer garden.
Speaking to the court from behind a green curtain, he said: “It was calm inside and then suddenly it all hyped up.
“Everyone was running around as if there was going to be a fight. I went outside to see if my mates were involved and I saw Jade. People were trying to get to him. They were shouting at him telling him he was a mug and a pussy and stuff like that. The bouncers were trying to get everyone to go inside, but it was about to erupt.”
The witness added: “Jade was shouting back and he said, ‘I’ve got my tool on me and it will open you up’.”
The young man’s evidence, which is forming a central plank of the prosecution’s case, was recorded by police two months after Ben’s death when he was arrested for cannabis possession following a routine stop-and-search.
Mr Braithwaite’s barrister, Orlando Pownall, QC, claimed he had made up the account of the knife in an effort to “lobby a favour” from the arresting officers.
Nathan Jackson-Henry, another witness, told the court: “There was a lot of fighting and posturing. It was revving up.
“There were two groups and everyone was shouting at each other, but I don’t remember anything about a knife.”
The court heard Braithwaite fled the beer garden when confronted by around 20 white boys, but he returned with two friends. He knew his “reputation was at stake,” it was claimed by prosecutor Nicholas Hilliard, QC on Tuesday.
Ben, who lived in Barnsbury, was at the back of a group being chased “and he was the one that was caught,” said Mr Hilliard as CCTV footage of it was shown to the court on Tuesday.
Ben’s sister, EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, was joined in court 10 by their parents, George, 48, and Deborah, 46, as the Crown’s case was outlined on Tuesday.
Michael Alleyne, 18, from Holloway, Braithwaite, 20, from Bow, and Juress Kika, 19, deny murdering Ben.
The trial continues. |
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