A TEENAGER who is on trial for murder but says he acted in self-defence dropped a knife into a drain after stabbing a 16-year-old, a court heard.
Elijah Clark is accused of murdering former Coggeshall schoolboy Andy Wood when he met with him to sell cannabis in Moulsham, Chelmsford, last year.
After 16-year-old Mr Wood was stabbed at about 11.30pm on Sunday, February 12, Clark fled to his mother’s address in Gloucester Avenue.
Police arrived at the address and arrested Elijah Clark at 12.25am.
Clark, 18, has always maintained he went to the drug deal unarmed and that it was Mr Wood and his friend who brandished the knives.
Giving evidence, Clark said he sustained a wound from Mr Wood’s friend before he managed to take the knife from him and stab Mr Wood in self-defence.
On the ninth day of the trial on Tuesday, the court heard how Clark did not say during an interview with prison officers he had been stabbed during the altercation.
Christopher Paxton KC, prosecuting, said: “You spoke to prison officer Jessica Coombe, and you spoke to prison officer Lara Wheeler - did you tell them you disarmed someone of their knife?”
Clark replied: “I can’t remember. It was last year, February – I can’t remember.”
Mr Paxton KC continued: “You never told Jessica Coombe that Andy Wood had a knife?"
Clark replied: "I can’t say if I told her that or not."
Clark, of Gloucester Avenue, Chelmsford, also told the court that he disposed of the knife he used to stab Mr Wood by dropping it down a drain on his way home, but didn't tell police where it was.
Mr Paxton KC said: “You are arrested at 12.25am – at that time, you knew where you had put the knife.”
Clark replied: “To be honest, I can’t remember – I would only have known the rough area.”
The defendant went on to explain why he did not tell a doctor, who treated him after the incident, about a stab wound he says he sustained during the incident.
He said: “Once I had cleaned it up, I didn’t think it was such a… I don’t know.
“I didn’t think it was anything the doctor could deal with.”
The trial continues.
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