'Scared' Southsea teenager stabbed male to death after being chased, court hears
A “scared” Southsea teenager who was being attacked ran away from a chasing pack “intent on beating him to a pulp” before stabbing a male and killing him, a court heard.
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. It is not known what caused the argument with the defendant and deceased not known to each other prior to the incident.
CCTV was played to jurors at Bournemouth Crown Court showing a fight with Betteridge "scrambling" on the floor with Mr Hamilton and his friends before running off while being pursued by the group.
Betteridge briefly stops and turns round to the group before sprinting off as a second altercation then takes place where Mr Hamilton was fatally stabbed - with him collapsing to the ground clutching his chest. He died at the scene after police officers rushed over.
Defence barrister Edmund Burge KC, questioning Mr Hamilton’s friend Harry Sadler giving evidence, asked the witness why they chased after Betteridge. “It was the heat of the moment. There’s no real explanation,” Mr Sadler said.
The witness denied being “excited at the prospect of more violence” which followed a beating “meted out” to Mr Hansen.
“Do you remember Thomas Betteridge looking scared as you were trying to get him?” Mr Burge asked Mr Sadler, who said: “I don’t recall that.”
Mr Burge continued: “(Betteridge) ran away and turned round with his left arm out while being chased, do you remember him saying ‘back off’?” Mr Sadler said: “I don’t recall.”
The barrister suggested when it emerged Betteridge had a knife it would have been a “good time to say ‘he’s got a knife, let’s leave it’, but you and three friends carry on after Mr Betteridge”.
Mr Burge suggested one member of the chasing pack had a knife. He said: “Do you recall any of your friends say: ‘I’m going to stab you up?’” Mr Sadler replied: “No one said that.”
The witness later added “me and my friends don’t carry knives” when the barrister said a member of the group “produced an object” from his hand towards Betteridge when the defendant briefly turned round during the chase.
Mr Burge added: “When (your group) were chasing Thomas Betteridge you were intent on catching him and beating him to a pulp. One of your group had come out with a knife. Had (your group) caught Mr Betteridge you would have used the knife.” Mr Sadler again denied any of his friends were carrying knives.
Mr Sadler said Mr Hamilton was “shouting” that Betteridge had a knife and recalled telling him to “put the knife down”.
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.