A teenager accused of killing a stranger in a park stabbing said he took a knife with him that evening, for “re-assurance”, a court heard yesterday (Wednesday April 5).

The 15-year-old defendant claims he did not intend to take it out of his pocket, although he knew that even carrying it with him was, “not a good thing.”

He denies the murder of Tomasz Oleszak, in the incident on a pathway known as The Lines, at Whitehills Nature Park, Gateshead, on the evening of Monday October 3, last year.

Tomasz, 14, died in hospital the following morning from the single stab wound to the chest.

Read more: Accused teenager in Gateshead murder trial says he was being followed

The court has heard that a second teenager, said to have been standing alongside Tomasz, jumped backwards to avoid being stabbed himself, although his coat was ripped by the blade in the chest area.

A charge of attempted wounding with intent is also denied by the defendant, who has admitted unlawful possession of a knife in public.

Giving evidence, the defendant said he had been aware of a group of teenagers nearby when he walked with a girl in the Springwell area of Gateshead on Sunday, October 2.

He said one of them rode by and made a comment to the girl, who had previously gone out with a member of the group, and, under cross-examination, he said she may have been called, “a slag”.

In his evidence-in-chief, he told the trial jury that he took a steak knife with him from the kitchen when he left home, intending to meet the girl from a class at a community centre the following evening.

Read more: Witness gives evidence over Tomasz Oleszak stabbing in Gateshead park

In cross-examination, prosecuting counsel, Mark McKone KC, asked him when he decided to take a knife with him that evening (October 3).

He replied that it was, “a last-minute decision” and asked if it was a hard decision to make, he said: “Not an easy one, because I didn’t exactly want to do it (take the knife with him), at first.”

Asked by Mr McKone why not, he said: “Because I knew it would be wrong.

“Because I knew it was against the law to carry knives.”

Mr McKone asked the defendant how it felt to have the knife with him, in his body warmer pocket, that evening.

He replied: “It was, like, a bit of a nervous feeling when I first put it in my pocket.”

Mr McKone asked him if he considered putting it back in the kitchen and he agreed, saying: “Yes, I did.”

Asked by Mr McKone if he thought it was dangerous, he agreed.

When Mr McKone asked him if he thought someone could get hurt, he replied: “No, because I didn’t have intentions to take it out of my pocket.”

He agreed that, “it wasn’t a good thing” to have a knife with him, but he said he felt it made him “re-assured” by carrying it that night.

Mr McKone asked if he was expecting trouble that night, and he said “no”.

Read next:

* Youth denies alleged killer of Tomasz Oleszak was followed into park

* Tomasz Oleszak murder trial: Teenager accused of Gateshead killing

* Friend at scene of Gateshead killing of Tomasz Oleszak gives evidence

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Earlier, he told his own counsel, Peter Makepeace KC, that when he was followed by a group of youths as he walked the girl home that evening he took the knife out and waved his arms around to scare them off, but, although being, “in denial”, he later feared he may have slashed one of them.

The court heard with the assistance of an older friend he dumped the knife in undergrowth, intending to go back later to, “have it melted”.

His cross-examination by Mr McKone will continue tomorrow (Thursday April 6).