Alibi was a ‘natural coincidence’

A 16-year-old boy accused of knifing a teenager to death has denied throwing a pair of bloodied shoes in the bin.

Nicola Leighton, 36, her son Tyreese Ulysses, 19, together with three boys, aged 15, 16 and 17, allegedly murdered Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, in Sydenham, southeast London.

Leighton and the four teenagers all deny murdering Levi on April 10.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, has told the court he took a ‘swipe’ at the victim with a knife just to scare him.

After the stabbing he went to his mum’s flat and left the coat and shoes he had been wearing outside the apartment.

He changed into a different pair of shoes, made his way to see his brother, then went to his girlfriend’s home where he put on a different coat and took a photo with her, jurors heard.

Asked about his change in outfit he explained he was going out to a gathering in central London and needed to look ‘smarter’.

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones accused him of orchestrating the outfit change and photo to create an alibi for himself – claims the 16-year-old denied.

‘Your coat has never been recovered has it?’ My Emlyn Jones asked.

‘Because you have been very careful to make sure it was never found.

‘Same with your shoes.’

The defendant said he ‘got rid of’ the pair of shoes he had been wearing at the scene by throwing them in a bin.

‘You put them in the bin because they had blood on them,’ Mr Emlyn Jones asked.

The teenager denied the claim.

The prosecutor also accused him of instructing his girlfriend to lie to the police, again, to create an alibi for him.

Jurors heard she told police her boyfriend had been with her between 6:15pm and 9:30pm on April 10, the date and time of the incident.

The 16-year-old has now admitted he was at the scene, then going to his mum’s flat, his brother’s, and then going to see his girlfriend.

But the boy denied telling his girlfriend to lie for him.

‘So she did that all herself?’ Mr Emlyn Jones asked.

‘Yes sir,’ he replied.

Mr Emlyn Jones said it was ‘nonsense’.

The boy answered: ‘If that is what you want to call it sir.’

The prosecutor asked: ‘What would you call it?’

‘Natural coincidence,’ the 16-year-old replied.

Leighton is said to have ’rounded up’ four youths including her son and the 16-year-old to kill Levi.

She drove the killers to Sydenham Road and encouraged them to chase after Levi and his friend, the court has heard.

But giving evidence earlier, Leighton told the court she had no idea of what was going on.

Leighton, of Lockwood Close, Sydenham, and the 16-year-old deny murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

Ulysses, of Catford, and the other two youths, deny murder.

The trial continues.