Tomasz Oleszak: Gateshead murder accused 'did not stab him on purpose'

The 15-year-old, currently on trial for killing Tomasz Oleszak in Gateshead last year, told the jury at Newcastle Crown Court he did not stab him on purpose.

Tomasz was fatally wounded with a single stab wound to the chest on a pathway known as The Lines, at Whitehills Nature Park, on the evening of Monday October 3.

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

He died in hospital the following morning and the defendant was arrested as part of the police investigation.

Under cross examination by Mark McKone KC, the defendant said he did not want to cause serious harm to anyone.

He said he did not know someone had been stabbed until he was sent pictures and said he knew it would have wrong to deliberately stab a person.

Asked if he meant to stab someone on purpose in order to defend himself the boy replied: ‘No’.

He has previously told the jury he was walking a girl home and had taken a steak knife from his mother’s kitchen ‘for reassurance’ and kept it in his body warmer pocket.

He said the pair were being followed by a group of youths who attacked him.

The boy said he waved the knife around ‘to show the group’ he had it but cannot remember saying ‘I’m going to wet you’, wet being a slang term meaning ‘stab’.

Asked if he knew what the word ‘wetted’ means, he paused before saying: ‘I don’t know’.

Read next:

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He said he cannot remember if he had heard it before the October 3 and that he ‘doesn’t know’ if wetted means stabbed.

He told jurors he can’t remember saying: ‘I’ve wetted your boy’ to the group, as the prosecution alleges.

The boy was asked if he could remember the knife being stuck in Tomasz’ body or pulling it out, to which he replied: ‘No’.

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

The defendant said he does not know how the coat became torn, but said he did not try to stab him or aim for his chest.

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Asked if he was ‘happy’ he had stabbed someone, the boy replied: “I didn’t know I had stabbed someone at the time.”

The court heard the knife was dumped in undergrowth after the incident took place.

Charge of murder and attempted wounding with intent are denied by the defendant, but he admits unlawful possession of a knife in public.

The trial continues.