Teen took knife out of house to 'scare away' other teenagers

Murder accused tells jury he was at risk of 'serious harm'

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A warning that this story contains information which some readers may find distressing.

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A teenager accused of murdering a 14-year-old boy has told a jury he confronted a group of youths outside his house with a knife because he wanted to ‘scare them away’.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence at his trial at Douglas Courthouse today (15 October).

He maintains he was acting in self-defence when Christopher McBurnie, from Castletown, suffered fatal stab wounds in Ramsey on 29 May 2025.

The teenagers had turned up just after 3pm for a pre-arranged fight which had been planned on social media the night before.

The defendant was accompanied in the witness box by his intermediary who is supporting him through the court process; he also gave some of his evidence over live link from another room.

‘Serious Harm’

Defence advocate Siobhan Grey KC spent the day questioning the teenager about the events which had led up to the fight and what happened during it.

Despite messages sent to the defendant suggesting that Christopher, and others, were travelling to Ramsey he said he didn’t believe that they would actually turn up.

“I didn’t expect anything to come from it,” he added.

Despite receiving calls from another boy, saying they were outside, the defendant said it was only when he looked out the kitchen window that he realised a ‘large group’ had formed.

“How many people did you think were standing outside your kitchen window?” Ms Grey KC asked him.

“Like, 20 – 30,” he replied, adding that he only recognised one individual.  

“What did you think the people were there to do?” Ms Grey KC asked.

“Cause serious harm,” the defendant replied.

The teenager described feeling ‘scared’ saying he was home alone and he was unable to lock the front door as he’d lost his house keys.

Knife

The defendant, who is right handed, told the jury he took a knife from the kitchen and put it in his left trouser pocket because he ‘didn’t want to use it’.

“I was going to go out and threaten them and scare them away. That’s what I was hoping to do,” he added.

He said he thought the group may use bricks to smash the windows adding he’d ‘briefly’ thought about calling the police but was concerned they’d take too long to come.  

Ring doorbell footage, which showed the defendant opening the front door, was played to the court again; in it he can be heard exclaiming: “How many people do you f***ing need?”

“Who are you asking that question to?” his advocate asked him.

“I don’t really know,” the teenager admitted.

He said he felt ‘quite, like, scared and panicked’ as he stepped outside adding: “It was kind of like a cold kind of sweat and a faster heart rate than normal.”

Christopher, the defendant said, approached him in the garden and hit him twice ‘in the head area’; he said he also thought someone else was close behind him.

“What was going through your head?” the advocate probed.

“I thought I was going to get attacked by multiple people,” the teenager replied.

‘Ongoing Threat’

The defendant said he believed he was ‘under ongoing threat’ and told Christopher he had a knife but the teen didn't react and didn’t run off as he’d expected him to.  

“Do you remember what happened when you took out the knife?” his advocate asked.

“Not very clearly,” the defendant replied.

“We know Christopher was stabbed. Do you remember that happening?” she questioned.

“Not really,” the defendant replied.

‘Maggot’

During his opening evidence the defendant told the court he’d known Christopher for ‘a few years’ but they’d only ever communicated online via Snapchat to insult each other.

The two boys, who had never met in person, began conversing on TikTok on the evening of 28 May 2025 before the conversation moved to Snapchat at the request of the defendant.

He sent Christopher a message calling him a ‘f***ing maggot’.  

When asked why he’d done this the defendant replied: “I don’t know.”

‘Ridicule’

The defendant confirmed he’d been challenged to a fight in Douglas, by one of Christopher’s friends, a year prior to the incident.

He said he hadn’t wanted to take part, and didn’t turn up, because he was ‘scared’ of ‘getting jumped.

“I also don’t fight,” he added.

Ms Grey KC asked him what had happened when he hadn’t turned up and the defendant replied ‘ridicule’.

“How did you feel about being ridiculed?” the advocate asked.

“I can’t remember,” the defendant responded.

Group Chat

The defendant confirmed he’d been added to a group chat on Snapchat, by Christopher, on 28 May 2025.

Ms Grey KC went through a number of messages which the defendant, Christopher and other teenagers had sent.

These included messages where the defendant had encouraged Christopher, and others, to 'Come Ramsey'.

“Did you want Christopher to come to Ramsey?” the advocate asked the defendant.

“No,” he replied: “I thought I could say it because he lived miles away. I never thought it would actually happen.”

When asked why he kept repeating that message the defendant replied: “Because I wanted to, like, get the last word.”

Ms Grey KC also asked the defendant about a message he’d sent to Christopher which said: “Come Ramsey. I will f***ing kill you mate.”

“Did you mean it?” she questioned.

“No,” he replied.

“Did you want to kill him?” the advocate asked.

“No,” he replied again.

“Why did you write that?”

“I don’t really know,” the defendant responded. 

‘Picked On’

The defendant told the court he’d felt ‘targeted’ after being added to the group chat on Snapchat initiated by Christopher.

When asked why he’d agreed to have a fight with him the defendant responded: “Cause if I said no, I’d get picked on for it.”

When asked why he’d kept responding to the messages the defendant replied: “If I didn’t respond, I’d just get picked on.”

When asked why he didn’t just leave the group chat the defendant replied: “If I left, I would have just been added back (in) anyway.”

“Did you worry about people picking on you?” the advocate asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

‘Targeted’

The defendant was asked why he’d willingly put his address in the Snapchat group chat during discussion about the fight.

In response he replied: “I didn’t think anything would happen from it.”

The advocate also reminded him of a message he’d sent just before 10am, on the morning of 29 May 2025, in which the defendant said: “Better come today.”

When asked whether he’d meant it, and why he’d sent it, the defendant replied: “I just wanted to get the first word in.”

“How had you been feeling in the group chat?” the advocate asked.

“A bit targeted,” the defendant replied.

The Trial

The defendant is expected to continue giving evidence tomorrow (16 October).

The trial continues.