Disorder denied at Smethwick killing scene
A teenager has told a court he was not involved in any violence on the day 16-year-old Ben Morutare died after being stabbed.
Kwamae Phillips, aged 18, said he saw some commotion outside the Smethwick Old Guards and Comrades club last July 28, but that he stayed away.
Speaking at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Phillips, who is accused of violent disorder, said he turned up to the party and stayed outside of the club for around 15 to 20 minutes, before going inside for 'under a minute', seeing it was overcrowded and then leaving.
Previously the trial heard how a friend of Ben Morutare, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been outside with his shirt off before getting involved in an altercation with a group of people.
Phillips, under questioning from his defence solicitor Mr Simon Phillips, said he became aware of a crowd. When the crowd moved off he went back to the entrance of the club.
He said: "The party was locked down after we heard a boy had been stabbed, and there was nothing to do there. So I left about 10 minutes after the police came."
Phillips, of Gillott Road, Jordan Campbell, 18, of Portland Road, both Edgbaston, deny violent disorder along with Tahj Mills, 18, of Waterside Street, West Bromwich; Tobias Blake, 20, of Kelsall Croft, Ladywood, and Aaron Parkins, 19.
The trial continues.
