Man says friend was 'rolling around on floor' after stabbing amid shouts of 'he’s got a knife', trial hears
A man has described seeing his friend “rolling around on the floor” after being stabbed seconds after shouts of, “he’s got a knife” were heard, a court was told.
Thomas Betteridge, who was 18 at the time but is now aged 20, is accused of the manslaughter of Cameron Hamilton, 18. He was stabbed in the chest following a melee in The Square, Bournemouth, just before 1.30am on Saturday, August 5, 2023, after a night out in the town.
A verbal altercation had erupted between Betteridge - who was with his girlfriend and Waterlooville friend Lennie Hansen - and Mr Hamilton while they were sat on a wall in The Square, Bournemouth Crown Court has heard. It is not known what caused the argument with the defendant and deceased not known to each other prior to the incident.
Kieron Stride, who was part of a group of friends out with Mr Hamilton, said he became embroiled in the incident after a row broke out between Mr Hamilton and Betteridge - with his friend asking him: “Have you got my back?”
Mr Stride said the pair were involved in a verbal altercation to begin with but told detectives in his recorded interview he did not “have a clue” what the argument was about, adding: “I wish I did. I still don’t know to this day what it was about. No one does.”
The witness said he told the defendant to “leave it” with it appearing as though he was “trying to do something”, resulting in Mr Stride saying he punched him and was trying to restrain him before “scuffling” took place.
Mr Stride said he was angry that his “manbag” was ripped off by Hansen who he punched in the face before looking round to see Betteridge was “frozen”, adding: “He looked at me like he was in shock.”
The chaotic scenes continued with “everyone running around like Looney Tunes”, according to Mr Stride, who then said: “I told (Betteridge) to put the knife away. I didn’t see it but Cam had shouted ‘he’s got a knife’ when they were scuffling on the wall.”
The witness said he did not see the fatal stabbing, but saw his friend fall to the ground. “I ran over with the police and saw Cam on the floor. He was rolling around holding his chest. He wasn’t saying anything,” Mr Stride said.
Betteridge and Hansen ran off from the scene with Mr Stride recalling how he and his friends urged the police to “go after them”. But because the officers remained with Mr Hamilton the group ran to the Upper Park Gardens “looking” for the men.
Mr Stride said none of his group knew Betteridge or Hansen, though they had seen the former “around” prior to the incident.
Speaking of the group’s night out, he added: “It’s probably the happiest I have ever seen Cam. That’s why it is so sad.”
Mr Stride said he and his friends were intoxicated with alcohol to a level of about seven out of 10 and said he was “not sure” if any of his friends had taken drugs that night.
Betteridge, who claims self-defence, denies manslaughter and possessing a kitchen knife.
Hansen, who brought the knife that was used by Betteridge, was previously jailed for 13 months in May 2024 after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article.
The trial continues.