A TEENAGER has spoken of how she asked to hide a knife when a woman was found dead in her friend’s house.

Toni Butler suffered catastrophic blood loss after Keegan Barnes allegedly stabbed her with a kitchen knife following a drink and drug fuelled party.

The girl told Teesside Crown Court she was terrified she was going to be charged with murder after moving the knife into the garden of the house on Vulcan Way, Thornaby, before paramedics were called to the scene.

During cross examination by defence barrister, Michelle Colburn, the teenager denied changing her story as she was terrified of being charged with murder.

The witness said Barnes told her to touch Miss Butler's body and it was then that she realised that she was dead.

The Northern Echo: Toni ButlerToni Butler

The barrister quizzed the witness about the accuracy of what she told the police after Barnes was arrested and pressed her on whether her client had acted in self-defence.

Ms Colburn asked: “Is that when Keegan said there had been trouble and that she had stabbed Toni? She told you didn’t she, that Toni had attacked her and that she had fought back.”

She replied: “No, all she told me is that they had a fight in the night, and that she stabbed her in the leg.”

Ms Colburn asked: “Didn’t she tell you that she stabbed Toni, because Toni had attacked her?”

Girl replied: “No, no she didn’t tell me that.”

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Ms Colburn asked the witness about what happened after the emergency services were called to the house.

The teenager replied: "Then she asked me to go and get the knife from upstairs and out it in the garden. I was scared and I done what she said.

"Then Keegan went out and put the garden table over the knife.”

Ms Colburn said, ‘you never mentioned the knife to police until you were arrested’ – “Were you worried that you were going to get charged with murder?”

The girl replied: “Yes.”

Ms Colburn added: “That’s why you told some lies to the police when you were interviewed, to cover up for yourself?”

She replied: “Yes, I was petrified.”

The court heard how Barnes and the witness had been friends and regularly smoked cannabis together.

A medical expert told the jury how Miss Butler’s death was the result of blood loss caused by a stab wound to the calf.

Pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton said the 25-year-old had suffered a puncture wound to one of the main veins in her leg which would have resulted in her bleeding to death over a period of time between several minutes and an hour.

The medical expert said it would have been a ‘highly unusual’ place for anyone to self-harm, as the defendant had claimed in police interview, and the wounds were consistent with a ‘stabbing’ motion.

Barnes, 28, of Vulcan Way, Thornaby, has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The trial continues.

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