Fred Shand murder trial: Teen friend who was with Fred, 16, on day of fatal stabbing gives evidence in court

A teenager who was by Fred Shand’s side when he was stabbed recalls feeling "stressed” and hoped his friend would survive, a court hears.

The jury first heard of the teen’s involvement in the prosecution opening last Wednesday (July 12).

Due to his age, his evidence was taken by way of him being videoed as he explained his account of what happened to the police and this was shown to the court on Friday last week (July 14).

A follow up interview, conducted on July 6 just days before the trial was set to begin, was also played as evidence.

In the first video, taken on March 24, the teen friend described the incident and said: “One in a balaclava and one just with their face out drives past us. Then they stop.

“They come, they’re walking towards me and Fred screaming ‘what’. Me and Fred turn around and run towards them.

“The one with the bally on went up to Fred. The one without the bally came up to me. We were fighting for like seven to 10 seconds.

“Then the one with the balaclava just pulled out a knife and stabbed Fred. He tried stabbing him in the back, but it hit his backpack. It didn’t do nothing.

“Then when Fred turned around, he stabbed him in the chest, belly area. Then, they ran away and I was screaming ‘Fred, are you good? Fred, are you okay?’

“He tried walking across the road and just dropped in the middle of the road.”

In the more recent video statement given by the teen, he confirmed his involvement in the incident at McDonalds the day before the stabbing (March 21) – despite denying his involvement in the first police interview, as well as knowledge of any issues or incidents leading up to the stabbing.

In the same interview on July 6, he also told the police of missed calls and messages he received minutes before Fred was stabbed from an acquaintance, who alerted him that the younger defendant was looking for Fred in Kingsthorpe.

The teen said he did not believe this to have been relevant to mention in the first police interview.

He also claimed that it was only when speculation began on social media after Fred’s passing that the name of the 15-year-old defendant became known to him – and matched up with the name he was told in the messages ahead of the stabbing.

During the teen’s cross examination by Paul Hynes KC, the defence barrister for the 15-year-old defendant, Fred’s friend was questioned about his claim that he and Fred had crossed the road onto the green to take a different route home.

The teen claimed that after receiving the message from the acquaintance that the younger defendant was looking for Fred, they decided to take the longer route home.

The teen also claimed that the pair had not seen the scooter go past them on the opposite side of the road until they reached the green and were then met by them.

Mr Hynes KC questioned the teen as to whether he and Fred were running to confront them, which he denied.

From the teen’s second police interview and Mr Hynes KC’s cross examination, it also came to light about another incident that took place at Taco Bell two days before Fred’s passing on Monday (March 20).

The court heard Mr Hynes KC tell the 15-year-old defendant’s account of what happened, which stemmed from the defendant and one of Fred’s friends liking the same female.

After the female decided she liked Fred’s friend more than the 15-year-old defendant, Mr Hynes KC claimed the defendant had been mocked on social media.

The court heard that on Monday evening (March 20), one of Fred’s other friends had been attacked by the 15-year-old defendant – after he mistook his identity for the other who was now dating the female he liked.

These are two different friends of Fred’s than the one who was called on to give evidence and accompanied him on the day of the stabbing.

In his cross examination of the teen, the court heard Mr Hynes KC insinuate that after finding out one of their friends had been attacked the day before, he and Fred went looking for the 15-year-old defendant the next day (March 21) at McDonalds.

The teen giving evidence denied this, as well as the claim that he and Fred “ran quickly and purposefully across the road towards the scooter”.

Mr Ben Aina KC, the defence barrister for the 17-year-old defendant, asked a few questions in his cross examination of Fred’s teen friend.

The main point being is that in his police interview the teen described his interaction with the older defendant as a “scuffle” and that they pushed each other, but the court heard the teen confirm this was untrue.

As the evidence drew to a close, prosecuting barrister Miss Bickerstaff KC asked the teen if he had “tried his best to remember” what happened – as some of what he said had been proven untrue by CCTV.

The teen agreed that he did his best to remember and when asked how he felt during the incident, he described his emotions as “stressed” and that he hoped Fred was going to survive.

What else has happened in the trial so far?

The two teenage boys from Northampton, who were aged 14 and 16 at the time but are now 15 and 17, pleaded not guilty to their murder charge before Northampton Crown Court on April 24. They cannot be named for legal reasons.

Miss Jane Bickerstaff KC, the prosecuting barrister, kickstarted the trial on Wednesday (July 12) with the prosecution opening after the jury was sworn in on Monday (July 10).

The court heard the younger defendant, aged 15, faces an additional charge of carrying an article with a blade or a sharp point in a public place – which he has already pleaded guilty to.

The court heard 16-year-old Rohan Shand, known as Fred, died after being stabbed near the Cock Hotel in Harborough Road at about 3.35pm on March 22 while on his way home from Kingsthorpe College.

Miss Bickerstaff KC, of the prosecution, told the court it was the 15-year-old male defendant that carried out the stabbing and he was accompanied by the 17-year-old in the planned “joint enterprise attack” – shown by CCTV footage in court.

The stabbing followed an altercation outside McDonalds in the Drapery, which the court heard took place the day before (March 21).

A male had his “face sliced with a belt buckle” during that “dispute” and the two defendants were a friend of his. The co-defendants believed Fred Shand was at the forefront of the group responsible.

The court heard that after the co-defendants arrived at Kingsthorpe College later than planned on March 22, they rode on scooter towards the town centre via Harborough Road.

The entire incident was over in seven seconds after Fred, his 15-year-old male friend and the two co-defendants came together for the first time at 3.34pm on March 22 on the green in Harborough Road, the court heard.

The co-defendants fled the scene on foot to the home of the 17-year-old, where they were detained by police shortly after – along with what is believed to be the murder weapon, a second knife and clothing worn during the incident.

During the second day of the trial (Thursday, July 13) – the first in which witnesses were called on to give evidence by the prosecution – the court saw 360 degree imagery to give them an understanding of the area, as well as video footage that has been recovered from March 22.

On the morning of the third day of the trial (Friday, July 14), the pathologist that conducted Fred’s post-mortem examination gave her expert evidence on the cause of death.

The trial continues.