A 17-year-old boy accused of killing a Bermudian teenager in the UK denied claims that messages on his phone referred to the murder.

The defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, admitted being one of four men who chased Lyrico Steede through a park before his death but claimed he was “shocked” when the victim was stabbed.

Peter Joyce, the prosecutor, told him: “You four hounded him down like a pack, didn’t you? The four of you ran him down wanting to hurt him. That was your aim.”

The teenager, who admitted there was “bad blood” between him and Mr Steede, answered: “Yes.”

He denied that he was “glad” that Mr Steede was stabbed, but admitted he did not call on the others involved to stop.

He told Nottingham Crown Court: “I was just frozen and shocked and didn’t say anything.”

The court heard a mobile phone was found on the teenager, which contained several messages prosecutors allege referred to the murder.

One message read: “Ting him in the chest, belly and back.”

Mr Joyce said the message matched the description of where Mr Steede was stabbed, but the teenager said it was “just coincidence”.

Another message read: “Lea man holey.”

Mr Joyce suggested the message meant he had stabbed a man and left him with holes. The teenager replied: “It doesn’t mean Rico.”

Mr Steede, 17, died in hospital eight days after he was stabbed on February 13.

Prosecutors allege that he was lured to a park in the Nottingham suburb of Bulwell, where he was chased and attacked by a group of young men.

A total of five teenagers have been charged with the murder, including Mr Campbell, 19, Remmell Campbell-Miller, 18, two 17-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl. All five deny the offence and the trial continues.

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