THE second of two murder accused teenagers said he was “scared” of his co-defendant and “wished” he did something to stop him stabbing Edward Reeve, a court heard.

A 16-year-old boy from Christchurch and a 17-year-old boy from Bournemouth are accused of stabbing and slashing 35-year-old Edward Reeve more than a dozen times at his home in Heath Road, Walkford on New Year’s Eve 2021.

Giving evidence at Winchester Crown Court, the Bournemouth teen told the jury he watched his co-accused pull out a knife and stab Mr Reeve, before pulling out a second knife and attacking him further, after a row broke out over a stolen computer.

Bournemouth Echo:

Speaking of the incident, the Bournemouth teen said: “(Mr Reeve) was asking him if he stole it. (The Christchurch teen) denied it but he was insistent he took it.

“They got into a heated argument, Ed started shouting and (the Christchurch teen) was arguing back denying he stole it.

“I didn’t think it would go any further than just a heated argument.”

The Bournemouth teen said his co-defendant picked up a knife from a cabinet beside him and stabbed Mr Reeve. He said he didn’t see what colour the knife was.

“He was facing Ed, it was around the front of the body,” he continued.

“It was a matter of seconds, it went so quickly. After he stabbed him a couple of times Ed picked up the dumbbell on the wooden table.

“He held it up like he was going to hit him but after being stabbed that many times he couldn’t.”

The teen said Mr Reeve then fell over onto his front.

“That’s when (Christchurch teen) pulled out a bigger knife from his waistband and stabbed him around the back area,” he said.

Asked why he didn’t try to stop the Christchurch teen, the Bournemouth defendant said: “I wish I tried to stop him now.

“He had a knife, he could have flipped on me, I was scared.”

The court heard how before leaving, the Bournemouth teen picked up his bottle of Jack Daniels and Relentless energy drink.

When asked why, he said: “I knew something bad happened. I didn’t want to be linked to what happened.

“I thought me just being there would make me guilty because he is my friend.”

Under cross-examination from prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones QC, the Bournemouth teen said he saw the incident but didn’t watch it.

“I wasn’t watching it like a show,” he said.

He said he didn’t know the passcode for his dad’s phone, the phone he used, and denied having anything on there he didn’t want the court to see.

The Christchurch teen, giving evidence earlier this week, said he acted in self defence when Mr Reeve threatened him with the dumbbell.

He said he stabbed him three or four times to the left thigh and buttock and the Bournemouth teen then attacked him, stabbing him and slashing his face.

Both teens deny murder. The Christchurch teen admits having a knife, the Bournemouth teen denies the same charge.

Neither can be named and the trial continues.