'Disagreement' between friends led to Peterborough teenager's death, court hears
Baye Bireme Fall was fatally stabbed in April
A teenager was stabbed to death in Peterborough after an argument between friends, a court has heard.
Sixteen-year-old Baye Bireme Fall – known as BB – was attacked near the Ortongate Shopping Centre on April 12.
He died later that night.
Emidas Krutkevicius, 18, and a 15-year-old boy who can’t be named for legal reasons are standing trial at Peterborough Crown Court charged with BB’s murder.
In her opening statement, prosecutor Kate Wilkinson KC told the court that Krutkevicius and the boy “acted together throughout” and were “equally responsible for his death”.
'Disagreement' between friends
Ms Wilkinson told jurors that the pair acted when BB was “not in a position to defend himself”.
The court heard that BB had gone to Ortongate Shopping Centre to meet Krutkevicius on April 12 to try and sort a misunderstanding.
“It seems there had been a disagreement between friends (of BB and Krutkevicius),” Ms Wilkinson said.
Jurors were told that earlier on the day of the attack, BB and Krutkevicius were in touch through the social media app Snapchat.
Ms Wilkinson said that after a series of messages, BB agreed to meet Krutkevicius alongside three of their friends.
'Suspicious'
CCTV footage played to the court showed Krutkevicius and the boy walking from a footpath on Riseholme, Orton Goldhay towards the shopping centre just after 6.35pm on the night of the attack.
The pair then met up with BB before leaving the area.
“BB might have been expecting trouble that night as he was also carrying a weapon,” Ms Wilkinson said.
“It was not a weapon seen out of its protective case.”
The court heard that as BB approached the pair and exchanged words, they were seen by a group of girls.
Ms Wilkinson told jurors the group described the situation as “suspicious” based on the trio’s clothes, and that “discussion was hostile” between them.
Pair waited for teenager before attack, court hears
After leaving the shopping centre, the court heard Krutkevicius wanted BB to follow him down a nearby alleyway.
BB then headed down a second alleyway while his friends ran away when they noticed a knife was "waved around", jurors were told.
Ms Wilkinson said a witness saw Krutkevicius and the boy carrying knives, and that BB also carried a weapon but wasn’t drawn.
Jurors heard the pair then stopped in a car park waiting for BB, before he was stabbed.
Days after the attack, dozens of flowers alongside cards and balloons laid opposite the shopping centre in memory of BB.
In a tribute, BB’s family described him as “an amazing boy whose heart is pure”.
The trial continues.