Boy, 14, ‘laughed and ran away after stabbing Ava White, 12, to death over Snapchat video’ at Christmas lights

A SCHOOLBOY “smirked and laughed” seconds after murdering 12-year-old Ava White at a Christmas lights switch-on, a court has heard today.

Prosecutors allege the 14-year-old defendant, who cannot be named, rowed with Ava in the moments before her death after she and her friends were recorded for Snapchat.

Ava’s friends and family wept at Liverpool Crown Court this afternoon as her final moments were shown in footage captured on CCTV.

The boy, who denies murder, appeared by videolink.

Charlotte Newell QC, prosecuting, said Ava and the defendant had been in the city centre with friends on the evening of November 25 last year and met “by chance encounter”.

The boy was carrying a 7.5cm blade with him. He has admitted having an offensive weapon.

Ms Newell said: “That knife was used to stab Ava, causing her fatal wound.

“That was done after they argued over the fact that he and his group had, without permission, filmed the antics of Ava and others in her group.

“Ava in particular was appalled and angry that they were filming her and was quite insistent that they delete the footage.”

She said Ava and her friends, all aged between 11 and 15, had shared some alcohol and had been “messing around” near the Royal Court Theatre before being told to move on by security staff at about 8.15pm.

They walked to Richmond Street, where the defendant and his friends saw them and he began to film a video which he would later share on Snapchat, Ms Newell said.

Year 8 pupil Ava and a friend approached the boys and asked them to stop filming and delete the footage.

It’s alleged the defendant and his friends then “jeered” at Ava, causing her to run towards them.

A 20-second clip showing the stabbing in School Lane was played to court. In the clip, Ava can be seen approaching the boys.

The prosecutor said she did not “inflict any violence upon him greater than a push”. She also didn’t have a weapon.

Ms Newell told the court the boy then “thrust a knife into the neck of this unarmed child”.

‘HE SMIRKED AND LAUGHED’

Pathologists said the fatal blow was struck with “the force of a firm punch”, the court heard.

It’s alleged the defendant will tell jurors he was acting in self-defence.

“However, his reaction at the time was to smirk, to laugh and to run away, leaving Ava to die whilst he sought to distance himself from his actions,” Ms Newell added.

Jurors heard the defendant then got rid of his knife, phone and coat.

The boy also denies an alternative count of manslaughter.

The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.