Fred Shand murder trial: Final live witness watched fatal stabbing after seeing knife pulled from trousers, court hears

The final live witness called upon to provide evidence watched the fatal stabbing happen after seeing the blade pulled from the younger defendant’s trousers, the court heard.

James Cross first provided the police with a statement the day after the fatal stabbing of Fred Shand (March 23), having witnessed the incident from his vehicle while stuck in traffic travelling south on Harborough Road.

Mr Cross first told the jury that he saw three people involved in the incident. The first, described as the victim, who he saw got stabbed in the chest.

The description of black skin, tight black curls, a black backpack and a Kingsthorpe College uniform matched Fred’s description.

Mr Cross first saw the other two involved in the incident when they arrived together and walked towards who he described as the victim, the court heard.

The witness saw the pair get off the scooter, situated to the front left of his car, and Mr Cross described this as “very clear”.

The descriptions given of the two were that one was taller and older looking with a skinny build, and the other was younger, shorter and wearing a face covering. Mr Cross’ descriptions of their clothing were also provided in court.

Mr Cross recalled seeing Fred with what he assumed to be a group of friends, but believes that when the incident took place the victim was “very much on his own”.

The court heard Mr Cross’ claim that the taller of the two boys initiated the altercation, with a “motion as if he was using a stick”. Though he was unsure if he ever saw a stick, he told the jury.

Mr Cross described the effect of this motion on the victim as “limited” as he fought back with what he believed to be “one or two punches in self defence”.

This is when Mr Cross believed the other male, small and younger, to get involved and “circle around”.

The court heard Mr Cross saw him pull the weapon, a “blade”, from his trousers in his right hand.

Mr Cross described the younger male’s manner as “purposeful” and “very direct”, as he drove the blade forward into what he believed to be the victim’s left side of his lower chest or upper stomach.

The court heard the victim was “stunned” at this point. Where Mr Cross claims the victim was previously fighting back, he no longer was and was instead looking down at the wound before covering it with both hands.

Taking a step back and towards the road, the court heard Mr Cross recall Fred collapsing and was face first in the road.

Mr Cross continued with the traffic and on his journey as he phoned an ambulance.

The court heard Mr Cross explain what he saw of the two co-defendants leaving the scene, with an attempt made by the older of the two to get back on the scooter.

Ahead of questioning from the defence barristers, Mr Cross was shown CCTV footage of the incident and agreed there was nothing that looked like the “stick” he had previously mentioned.

Paul Hynes KC, the defence barrister for the 15-year-old defendant, questioned Mr Cross’ wording of the younger male “circling” before the stabbing – but the witness stood by his description of the way the younger male approached the situation.

During Mr Hynes KC’s questioning, Mr Cross acknowledged the fact there is the possibility that what he recalls now may be different from what happened at the time.

Ben Aina KC, the defence barrister for the 17-year-old defendant, read some of Mr Cross’ interview with the police on March 23 to the court.

Mr Cross described the older defendant to have “looked very panicked”, and to have looked towards the victim and “momentarily froze” as he was leaving the scene.

The statement read: “I got the impression that he was not expecting that level of violence to happen.”

When asked by Jane Bickerstaff KC, the prosecution, as to what it was that gave Mr Cross that impression, he told the court that the younger defendant “seemed more prepared” with his face covering, gloves and the “purpose he moved with”.

What else has happened in the trial so far?

The two teenage boys from Northampton, who were aged 14 and 16 at the time but are now 15 and 17, pleaded not guilty to their murder charge before Northampton Crown Court on April 24. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Miss Jane Bickerstaff KC, the prosecuting barrister, kickstarted the trial on Wednesday (July 12) with the prosecution opening after the jury was sworn in on Monday (July 10).

The court heard the younger defendant, aged 15, faces an additional charge of carrying an article with a blade or a sharp point in a public place – which he has already pleaded guilty to.

The court heard 16-year-old Rohan Shand, known as Fred, died after being stabbed near the Cock Hotel in Harborough Road at about 3.35pm on March 22 while on his way home from Kingsthorpe College.

Miss Bickerstaff KC, of the prosecution, told the court it was the 15-year-old male defendant that carried out the stabbing and he was accompanied by the 17-year-old in the planned “joint enterprise attack” – shown by CCTV footage in court.

The stabbing followed an altercation outside McDonalds in the Drapery, which the court heard took place the day before (March 21).

A male had his “face sliced with a belt buckle” during that “dispute” and the two defendants were a friend of his. The co-defendants believed Fred Shand was at the forefront of the group responsible.

The court heard that after the co-defendants arrived at Kingsthorpe College later than planned on March 22, they rode on scooter towards the town centre via Harborough Road.

The entire incident was over in seven seconds after Fred, his teen friend and the two co-defendants came together for the first time at 3.34pm on March 22 on the green in Harborough Road, the court heard.

The co-defendants fled the scene on foot to the home of the 17-year-old, where they were detained by police shortly after – along with what is believed to be the murder weapon, a second knife and clothing worn during the incident.

During the second day of the trial (Thursday, July 13) – the first in which witnesses were called on to give evidence by the prosecution – the court saw 360 degree imagery to give them an understanding of the area, as well as video footage that has been recovered from March 22.

On the morning of the third day of the trial (Friday, July 14), the pathologist that conducted Fred’s post-mortem examination gave her expert evidence on the cause of death.

This was followed by evidence given by the teen friend who was with Fred on the day of the fatal stabbing.

Kickstarting the second week and fourth day of evidence (Tuesday, July 18), the two eyewitnesses who followed the co-defendants home after the incident were called to give evidence.

The trial continues.