Police officer recalls moment he found stab victim with blade in his back

Friday 10 March 2023

A police officer has recalled the moment he rolled over the teenage victim of a stabbing attack and found part of a blade still embedded in the young man’s back.

The officer was giving evidence on the second day of a Royal Court trial of three teenagers.

Alex Diogo Franca De Jesus (19) is accused of attempted murder, while two teenagers, who cannot be named, are accused of grave and criminal assault and affray. They all deny the charges.

Another man, 18-year-old Jayden Howard, has already admitted attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and is not involved in the trial.

Yesterday, the jury heard from the police officer who was first on the scene on the night of the attack, after the victim called 999. He described how he had found the victim lying in bushes near the bike sheds.

Pictured: The case is being heard in the Royal Court.

"His condition was bad, I could tell by the way he was lying," he said. "His complexion was grey. I could tell he was seriously injured."

The officer said he found no injuries on the victim's chest so rolled him onto his front to examine his back.

"He had multiple stab wounds. Part of a blade at the bottom of his spine was still there," he said.

The jury also heard from the ex-girlfriend of one of the two unnamed teenagers. She told them how he looked "very panicked" during a video call around 22:30 on the night of the stabbing.

"He said it had got bad. He said two of the boys had knives and stabbed [the victim]," she told the court from behind a screen.

The following day, she added, they had spoken by video call again. She said: "He said he had stayed off work because of a panic attack."

Also giving evidence yesterday was forensic medical examiner Dr James Newton, who examined the other unnamed teenager shortly after the attack and found reddening and bruising on his hands and one foot.

He said these markings could have been caused by "blunt force trauma", as from a punch or kick.

The trial also heard from a resident in the estate who had gone outside for a cigarette at around 22:00 and had seen two figures running along Le Geyt Road towards St. Saviour's Hill.

He said: "There was some shouting that the police were coming. It was a male voice."

The trial, which is due to last until the end of next week, continues today.

More on the case...

Teen "left for dead" after drug debt stabbing attack, court told