‘Didn’t know he was dead’: Teen claims self defence over fatal stabbing

A teen accused of murdering a stranger with a 41cm knife will say the fatal stabbing was self-defence after he confronted the man over missing jewellery and was attacked, a court heard.

A teen who killed a man in a fatal stabbing has claimed self defence.

A teen accused of murdering a stranger with a 41cm knife will say the fatal stabbing was self-defence after he confronted the man over missing jewellery and was attacked, a court heard.

The 18-year-old, who was 17 at the time and can’t be identified, has admitted causing the death of David George Connolly but pleaded not guilty to his murder on the basis of self defence.

Mr Connolly, 43, was killed when he was stabbed in the chest by the youth with a knife containing a 26cm blade that caused a 14-15 cm wound through to his left lung on January 22 2023 at Wilston, the court has herald.

Taking the stand in Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Tuesday the youth said he and his then girlfriend were sleeping rough at the time.

During the course of the evening they had a fight and his girlfriend had grabbed his knife, which he said he kept for protection, and cut herself and threatened suicide, the court heard.

She stormed off and the youth followed and after they chatted the girl said she had thrown a chain from her neck on the ground, he said.

The court heard he had bought the chain as a gift for her.

They were unable to find the chain and around that time a person who would turn out to be Mr Connolly walked past.

The girlfriend said he had taken the chain and urged the defendant to chase after him, he said

The youth said he did so but Mr Connolly just kept ignoring him so he ran back to his girlfriend who convinced him again to chase after the man down Newmarket Rd.

This time the defendant said he walked in front of Mr Connolly and again asked about the chain with the alleged victim saying he had thrown it away, he said.

The defendant asked him to empty his pockets which Mr Connolly did but there was no chain and the youth accused him of “dacking it” down his pants, he said.

The youth told the jury Mr Connolly started getting aggressive, throwing punches and he felt unsafe.

“He was putting his whole weight into them,” he said.

“Every time he hit me I saw a black spot.

“I was just terrified … he could stop if he wanted to but he just wasn’t.”

The teenager said his knife was still in a sheath down his pants at this stage.

The court adjourned with the defendant to continue his evidence after lunch.

Before his client took the stand barrister Michael Bonasia said that at around this point the youth took out his knife and swung believing he had made contact with Mr Connolly but the punches kept coming.

“The man had his arm raised up to appear as if he was to deliver another punch and (my client) got him in the chest,” he said.

“(He) will tell you that it was at that point the punches finally stopped and then he was able to get away. He will say that he turned back and saw the man had blood on his shirt, and that’s when he yelled out the word f**k. And then he continued to run until he noticed that police had pulled up beside them.”

His client did not know the man was dead when he spoke to police, he said.

Mr Bonasia said his client did not have an intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Connolly and was defending himself.