Youth killed in gang feud, Hamilton court told

A 15-year-old has gone on trial in Hamilton for stabbing to death another 15-year-old in a gang feud.

Dylan Jenkins was stabbed in the heart with a 16cm knife near Hamilton's badminton stadium last November.

The accused, who has name suppression, pleaded not guilty in the High Court at Hamilton to murdering Jenkins.

Crown prosecutor Philip Crayton told the jury of five men and seven women that the accused and another youth, Keri Snowden, arrived at the badminton stadium on bikes.

They called out "West Side" and the group of youths Jenkins was with responded with an "East Side" call.

He said Snowden kicked Jenkins in the shins as he was sitting on a low fence and asked him which group he represented.

Jenkins made a hand signal for the East Side gang and stood up. Just as he was saying "East Side", the accused - who had pulled a knife from his sock - drove it into Jenkins' chest.

The knife had a 16cm blade and the full length of it penetrated Jenkins' heart, Mr Crayton said.

"He [the accused] delivered the blow without justification except that Dylan Jenkins had allegiance to the East Side," he said.

Defence lawyer Gavin Boot said it was up to the jury to decide what the accused was thinking at the time of the stabbing and whether he intended to kill. "What this young man did is manslaughter, not a murder," he said.

A witness - whose details were suppressed - said he could tell there was going to be trouble and the use of the gang signals indicated an intention to fight. He said the accused made the West Side sign first and Jenkins responded with his own sign as he died.

However, another witness said Jenkins called out "East Side" and used the hand signal before being stabbed.

- NZPA