A BARRISTER has told a jury in the trial of Connor Tremble's killer the case is not "open and shut" as the prosecution has suggested.

This morning Adrian Amer, defending Will Blencowe, told the jury his client only stabbed the 17-year-old  because he thought he was in "imminent danger of attack".

The 21-year-old, of Oxford Road, Banbury, claims he acted in self defence and was suffering from a mental condition when he stabbed the teenager 15 times on February 13 this year.

The prosecution alleges Blencowe travelled to Fairacres Road, Oxford, at around 6.30pm with the intent of killing Connor because he was jealous of his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Aimee Harrison.

But Mr Amer said there was no evidence of jealousy being a motive and it was "pure speculation" to suggest that it was.

Describing what happened when he arrived, the barrister said: "Will felt he was in imminent danger of attack and used such force in the circumstances as he honestly believed was necessary for his own self defence."

Mr Amer added that the force used, which included stabbing Connor 10 times in the back, was "reasonable" in view of Blencowe's mental state at the time.

He told the jury: "If Will and Connor were grappling with each other, in Will's mind the only way to get Connor to release his grip was to stab him numerous times to the buttock area and back area.

"In Will's mind it was the only place to attack Connor to get him off.

"Can you imagine the fear of attack that he was feeling?"

He added: "This is not as simple a case as the prosecution makes it out to be, it is not that open and shut.

"Like anything in life it is not black and white."

Bradley Jones, 21, of New Road, Bledington, and Grant Clemens, 24, of Stockwells, Moreton-in-Marsh, are also on trial and both deny perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.


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