Ramarni Crosby: Accused acted out murder after stabbing

Three teenagers accused of being part of a group who murdered a 16-year-old acted out the fatal stabbing just minutes later, a court has heard.

Ramarni Crosby, of Frampton on Severn, suffered multiple stab wounds on the evening of 15 December last year.

The 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds fled the scene of the alleged attack in Gloucester and got a taxi to a nearby house, Bristol Crown Court heard.

CCTV cameras outside the property captured them acting out the incident.

Ramarni, 16, was fatally injured after being confronted by eight youths armed with a machete, meat cleaver and knives in the Barton area of the city, jurors heard.

He was with four friends who had arranged to meet the defendants for a "fist fight", on the evening of 15 December, due to a "rivalry" between the two groups.

Dean Smith, 19, two 17-year-olds, three 16-year-olds and two 15-year-olds are accused of the teenager's murder.

Adam Vaitilingam QC, prosecuting, said the three had gone to the home of Keishaleigh Margrett-Whitter, having phoned her following the attack.

Ms Margrett-Whitter, 19, is accused of helping two of the teenagers by disposing of clothing and swapping mobile phone sim cards.

"It is the prosecution case, in a nutshell, that they tell her about it, and she helps them out," he said.

The machete used in the attack was left in the garden of the home of another acquaintance and later recovered from the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, the court was told.

The weapon had a purple bandanna wrapped around it, which the court heard was a "feature" of some of the defendants.

"Despite most of the defendants getting rid of their mobile phones, the police were able to find references to bandanas and a group who called themselves 'GL1'" Mr Vaitilingam said.

Mr Vaitilingam suggested to the jury a "key question" for them would be whether the eight defendants were "actively involved" in the killing or were "assisting or encouraging" those who were.

"We say those eight were going to fight against a rival group and they were encouraging each other and playing their part," he said.

"Some had weapons and others knew they had weapons."

Mr Smith, of Lannett Road, Gloucester, and his seven co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murder.

A ninth defendant, Ms Margrett-Whitter, of Lyncroft Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, denies two charges of assisting an offender.

The trial continues.

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