Five accused of murder of schoolboy Dea-John Reid in Kingstanding

Two men and three teenagers have gone on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of murdering a 14-year-old schoolboy.

Dea-John Reid died after suffering a single stab wound to the chest on College Road, Kingstanding, at around 7.30pm on May 31 last year.

Michael Shields, 36, of Alvis Walk, Castle Bromwich, George Khan, 39, of Newstead Road, Kingstanding, a 16-year-old and two 15-year-olds, have denied the charge.

A sixth defendant, Hollie Davies, 36, of Waldon Walk, Castle Bromwich, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of assisting an offender.

Richard Wormald QC, prosecuting, said: "This is a case in which the first five defendants are charged with the murder of Dea-John Reis on Monday 31 May 2021.

"Tragically Dea-John was only 14 when he was killed.

"The evidence you are about to hear shows that acting together as a group."

Boy, 15, 'accepts he caused death of Dea-John'

Tim Clark QC for the 15-year-old accused of stabbing the victim to death said: "He accepts he caused the death of Dea-John but did not intend to kill him. He was acting in self-defence."

Michael Duck QC, for one of the 15-year-olds, said he had no idea one of the others had a knife.

Michael Burrows QC, for the 16-year-old, said he thought there might be a fight but did not have any weapons with him.

"At no stage did he intend to kill anyone or cause serious injury," he said.

Mr Icah Peart QC, for Shields, said: "He had no idea anybody intended to inflict serious injury on anyone else."

Blondelle Thompson, for Davies, said "She accepts driving to Wigan but she had no intention of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of two of the defendants."

'Murder was a revenge attack', prosecution says

Mr Wormald said: "They went to look for Dea-John Reid and after finding him in a park in Kingstanding chased and caught up with him .

"He was then stabbed in the chest

"The killing happened in broad daylight and was a revenge attack for events that happened earlier in the day involving the three younger defendants.

'Defendant acted like a pack, chasing down their prey', court hears

Mr Wormald said one person was armed with a knife and another with a wheel brace.

"Eventually they found their intended victim and got out of the car." he said.

"Dea-John was chased. It was a group attack during which they each played their part, running after Dea-John and blocking off his escape routes."

"The male defendants acted like a pack, chasing down their prey," he said.

Cause of death stab wound to heart

Mr Wormald said: "After Dea-John had been stabbed and died his body was examined.

"The cause of death was a single stab wound to the heart. There was a large gaping stab wound to his chest. The lung was visible."

He said the victim was stabbed to the left side of the chest.

None of the teenagers can be identified due to their age and the trial is estimated to last up to eight weeks