Murder accused filmed ‘acting out’ fatal attack on Gloucester teen minutes later, court hears

Three teenagers accused of being part of a group who murdered a 16-year-old acted out the fatal stabbing just minutes later, a court heard.

The 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds fled the scene of the alleged attack on Ramarni Crosby in Gloucester and got a taxi to a nearby house, Bristol Crown Court heard.

CCTV cameras installed outside the property showed the three teenagers acting out the incident – with their arms held up and moving downwards in stabbing motions.

Adam Vaitilingam QC, prosecuting, said the three had gone to the home of Keishaleigh Margrett-Whitter, having phoned her following the attack.

Referring to the CCTV, Mr Vaitilingam said: “That’s the 17-year-old and the 15-year-old, and to a lesser extent the other 15-year-old, appearing to be acting out what happened a few minutes earlier involving the killing of Ramarni Crosby.”

Margrett-Whitter, 19, is accused of helping two of the teenagers by disposing of clothing and swapping mobile phone sim cards.

“It is the prosecution case, in a nutshell, that they tell her about it, and she helps them out,” he said.

Ramarni, 16, was fatally injured after being confronted by eight youths armed with a machete, meat cleaver and knives in the Barton area of the city.

He was with four friends who had arranged to meet the defendants for a “fist fight”, on the evening of December 15 last year, due to a “rivalry” between the two groups.

CCTV footage taken near the scene shows the build-up and aftermath of the alleged attack but not the incident itself.

Ramarni and his four friends are seen running away, but he slows down and collapses in Stratton Road, where he died a short time later.

Dean Smith, 19, two 17-year-olds, three 16-year-olds and two 15-year-olds are accused of the teenager’s murder.

The court heard the machete was left in the garden of the home of an acquaintance and later recovered from the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

The weapon had a purple bandanna wrapped around it, which the court heard was a “feature” of some of the defendants.

“Despite most of the defendants getting rid of their mobile phones, the police were able to find references to bandanas and a group who called themselves ‘GL1’,” Mr Vaitilingam said.

Ramarni suffered six wounds to his body, including a fatal stabbing to his chest, as well as stab injuries to his upper back, upper left arm, lower arm and top of his head.

Mr Vaitilingam suggested to the jury a “key question” for them would be whether the eight defendants were “actively involved” in the killing or were “assisting or encouraging” those who were.

“We say those eight were going to fight against a rival group and they were encouraging each other and playing their part,” he said.

“Some had weapons and others knew they had weapons.”

Smith, of Lannett Road, Gloucester, and his seven co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murder.

A ninth defendant, Margrett-Whitter, of Lyncroft Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, denies two charges of assisting an offender.

The trial continues.