Tomasz Oleszak murder trial: Teenager accused of Gateshead killing

The rival teenager, who is alleged to have inflicted the fatal blow on Tomasz Oleszak, is said to have warned him and his friends he would "wet" them, said to be slang for stabbing someone, shortly before the incident.

Tomasz was one of three members of a group of young people who approached the other teenager over the comment and, “a dirty look” he was said to have made earlier, as their paths crossed in Whitehills Nature Park, Gateshead, on the evening of Monday October 3, last year.

Newcastle Crown Court was told the teenager who made the alleged comment was with his girlfriend, who had previously gone out with one of the other group.

Read more: Boy, 14, on trial for murder shouted ‘I’m gonna wet you’, court told

When Tomasz and his two friends approached asking what he had said, the other teenager produced a knife from a pocket and used it to stab him once in the chest, before attempting to inflict a similar blow on a friend of the deceased.

Mark McKone, prosecuting, said the second youth managed to jump backwards and escaped any injury, but his coat was cut around the heart area.

The defendant is then alleged to have shouted to other members of the victim’s group that their “boy” had been “wetted”.

Mr McKone said Tomasz tried to run away, but he collapsed, while his friend, who had narrowly escaped the second blow, ran to the nearest house to raise the alarm.

Despite receiving emergency medical attention, the death of 14-year-old Tomasz was confirmed later that night at hospital.

Mr McKone was opening the case to the jury at the start of the trial of a teenager who was 14 at the time, but who has since turned 15.

The prosecuting counsel said the defendant, who later hid the knife with the help of a friend he confided with, was picked out in an identity procedure by other young people present.

Although he made no comment in three police interviews, following his arrest,

Mr McKone said his identity or use of the knife is no longer an issue in the case.

It is now over the issue of whether or not he used the knife in self-defence in the confrontation in the park.

Read more: Boy, 15, to stand trial in March over Gateshead death of Tomasz

Mr McKone said the jury would hear from several young witnesses present at the park that evening.

He said one, a friend of the defendant, phoned him after the stabbing.

The defendant was said to have told his friend to meet him.

Mr McKone said: “The meeting was clearly urgent.

“The defendant told ***** that he had stabbed someone, mistakenly giving the wrong name for the victim, who he did not know.

Mr McKone said the witness described the defendant as, “jumping around and doing a demonstration.”

“He (the witness) said: ‘He was bouncing all over. He seemed happy that he had done it.

“He looked like himself, it didn’t faze him at all’.”

Mr McKone said, “on the other hand,” the witness described the defendant’s girlfriend as, “shaking”.

The defendant told his friend that the group had attacked him with bottles.

Mr McKone said: “The prosecution do not accept that the group attacked the defendant with bottles.”

He said the defendant’s excited reaction to his friends was not indicative of a man who had been attacked and acted in self-defence.

“He accepts he took the knife out with him and accepts causing the fatal stab wound on Tomasz and using it on ***** (the other youth), but it’s his case he did so in self-defence.”

Pointing out that later medical examination showed the defendant had no injuries, other than to his thumb.

“The prosecution does not accept he was attacked in the serious way he described.

“We say he intended to cause really serious harm, at least.

“The prosecution say anyone stabbing someone else in the chest must have intended to at least cause really serious harm.”

Read next:

               Tomasz Oleszak murder: Youth to enter plea after Gateshead death

               Tomasz Oleszak: Teenager, 14, appears in court charged with murder

                Tomasz Oleszak: Boy, 14, charged with murder appears in Newcastle Magistrates' Court

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The defendant denies Tomasz’s murder or attempting to cause the other teenager grievous bodily harm with intent.

He does admit possessing a bladed article in public without good reason and lawful authority.

The trial, expected to last for at least ten days and possibly up to Easter weekend, continues.