Teen watched friend die after graveyard stabbing

A young woman watched a friend die on her 18th birthday after he was fatally stabbed in a church graveyard, a court has heard.

The jury at Lewes Crown Court was told a 17-year-old boy plunged a knife 8cm (3.15in) into Billy Ripley's chest in Hailsham, East Sussex, on 29 August 2024.

Mr Ripley, 20, died from his wound despite paramedics, an emergency doctor and members of the public trying for an hour to save him.

The teenager, who can not be named because of his age, denies murder, saying Mr Ripley attacked him with a machete and he was acting in self defence.

The court was told Ella Doe, who had known Mr Ripley for about 18 months, said the teenager saw him and shouted over, asking him to meet "round the corner".

The jury was shown footage from a camera showing two males facing up to each other, both with knives drawn.

Ryan Richter, for the prosecution, told the jury the pair moved out of view of CCTV cameras and the teenager then stabbed Mr Ripley in the heart.

The court heard a large, machete-style knife was found next to Mr Ripley and identified as the one he had been carrying.

However, a murder weapon was not recovered, prosecutor Mr Richter told the jury.

Mr Richter said: "The prosecution case is on that day, the boy chose to have a fight with Billy Ripley and acted aggressively towards him.

"He used a knife with significant force to stab him to his chest and into his heart."

The 17-year-old denies murder.

The trial continues.

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