Alfie Lewis stabbed in heart 'in full view' of primary school pupils and parents, court hears

A teenager was stabbed through the heart by a 14-year-old "in full view" of primary school pupils and parents, a court has heard.

Alfie Lewis, 15, was killed in the attack in Horsforth, Leeds, in November 2023.

He was walking to meet friends when the defendant stabbed him with a 13cm kitchen knife, said prosecutor Craig Hassall KC.

Witnesses said Alfie looked "surprised and shocked" and asked the boy: "What are you doing?", the trial was told.

"He was approached by (the defendant), and stabbed twice - once in the chest and once in the leg," Mr Hassall told Leeds Crown Court.

"He collapsed and died in the road close to the primary school in full view of scores of pupils leaving school and the people who were waiting to collect them."

The knife wound to Alfie's chest was 14cm (5.5 inches) deep and punctured his heart, according to a post-mortem examination.

The court was told the defendant fled and dropped the weapon in the road near St Margaret's Primary School.

Mr Hassall said he believed the boy would claim he was acting in self-defence.

However, he told the court all the witnesses said Alfie wasn't the aggressor and didn't try to attack or threaten him.

Mr Hassall said a friend of the defendant - who walked away shortly before - said he heard Alfie say "chill out", before seeing his friend stab Alfie twice.

The boy, who denies murder, sat next to his father as the trial began on Monday. He cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age.

'Alfie protected girl from attacker'

The court also heard about two previous incidents between Alfie and the boy.

One was said to have taken place in July 2023, when Alfie intervened in a fight involving the defendant, and the second on Halloween, when Alfie said the defendant threw a firework at him.

In video evidence, a 15-year-old girl told the jury the fight was between her younger brother and the defendant.

She said she was hit in the face by the defendant, but Alfie pushed him and said: "Why are you hitting a girl?"

He fell over, but the court heard Alfie helped him up and they shook hands.

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The same girl also said Alfie had told her he stole the defendant's fireworks on Halloween after he allegedly threw a lit one at him.

The girl then described running over to Alfie when she heard he had been stabbed a week later, on 7 November, pleading with him: "Don't die on me. Please wake up."

The trial continues.