Boy accused of murder “just lost it” but “didn’t mean” to kill Roberts Buncis

A 14-year-old boy accused of murdering a 12-year-old in a prolonged and brutal attack told a jury that he “just lost it”.

The defendant, who cannot be identified because of a court order, said he arranged to meet Roberts Buncis at 3.30 am on the morning of December 12 to discuss selling cannabis.

“He (Roberts) was going to take it from me and sell it on,” he said.

He said he was going to give Roberts an ounce of cannabis to sell, which had been divided into eight amounts.

The boy said he paid £150 for the drugs and was expecting it to sell for £280. The teenager said Roberts was to get £50.

Police identified the victim as Roberts Buncis, 12.

The defendant said: “I told him that he was going to sell weed for me. He asked about the money. I said I didn’t have the money.

“He started getting quite agitated and quite angry that I didn’t have the money.”

The teenager said Roberts swore at him and accused him of getting up in the middle of the night for no reason.

“I just started laughing at him. Then as I was laughing, I saw this silver thing coming at me. It was a knife. I panicked and tried to grab the knife off him.

“I grabbed it just above the blade. My hand was around the blade. Cuts to my hand were caused by trying to grab the knife off him.

“I just started stabbing him. I just lost it.”

He said he remembered causing some of the injuries including stabbing Roberts to the neck.

Defence barrister Brendan Kelly QC asked the 14-year-old “Were you wanting to kill him?” The defendant replied: “I don’t remember.”

Mr Kelly asked him “What caused you to lose it?” The defendant responded “I’m not sure”.

The boy was then asked “Did you mean to hurt Roberts?” He responded “No”.

| Photo: John Aron

The defendant said that after stabbing Roberts he ran home and stayed up for the remainder of the night smoking cannabis. He said he put his clothing into a ceramic pot in the back garden of his home and set fire to it.

He said he disposed of the cannabis he planned to give to Roberts but did not know where.

The boy told the jury that before going out to meet Roberts he had been smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol.

Ballons being released as the funeral possession of Roberts Buncis travelled through the streets of Boston. | Photo: John Aron

The prosecution says that the 14-year-old lured Roberts’ out of his home in the middle of the night and then stabbed him “again and again”.

Roberts’ body was found on the morning of December 12, 2020 in a wooded area near to Alcorn Green in Fishtoft on the outskirts of Boston. He had more than 20 injuries with over 70 cuts to his body.

The defendant admits manslaughter but denies the murder of Roberts Buncis on December 12, 2020.

The trial continues this afternoon.

More from the Roberts Buncis murder trial:

• Teen admits manslaughter of Roberts Buncis
• Roberts Buncis murder accused, 14, had multiple knives in bedroom, court hears
• Roberts Buncis stabbed more than 20 times, murder trial hears
• Jury hears how neighbour found ‘lifeless’ body of Roberts Buncis, 12
• Friend of teen accused of Roberts Buncis murder speaks out in court
• Teen admitted to killing Roberts Buncis to friend, jury told
• Roberts Buncis murder accused used drugs daily and carried knife at school, jury told
• Roberts Buncis, 12, savagely killed over snitch fears, court hears
• Trial details savage murder of Roberts Buncis, 12