Three on trial over Chloe Watson Dransfield's death

Three defendants are on trial at Leeds Crown Court over the death of 16-year-old Chloe Watson Dransfield, who was stabbed in Austhorpe, Leeds, on March 28. Prosecutor Mark McKone told jurors that Kayla Smith, 18, admitted stabbing Chloe and causing the fatal wound, but denied intending to kill her or cause really serious harm. Smith has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a plea the Crown does not accept as resolving the murder charge.

Smith, Blake Dowling and Archie Rycroft each deny murder. Dowling and Rycroft also deny manslaughter. The allegations against them, and what each defendant intended or knew, remain matters for the jury.

In opening the case, McKone said Smith had threatened to stab Chloe in the hours before the attack. The Crown alleges that Dowling, who had been in a relationship with both girls, helped arrange the encounter and took Chloe to the scene knowing a fight could take place. Dowling accepts booking a taxi but says he expected a normal fight without weapons and did not know Chloe would suffer really serious harm.

The prosecutor said Smith approached Chloe with a knife at about 5:10 a.m. and stabbed her in the neck and back. Rycroft was with Smith, the Crown...