Roberts Buncis murder trial: “Why did you kill him?” — “He attacked me with a knife”

The teenager accused of murdering Roberts Buncis told a jury today that he could only remember inflicting one wound on the 12-year-old.

The defendant, giving evidence at Lincoln Crown Court, said he couldn’t remember trying to cut off Roberts’ head or why he tried to cut off his victim’s fingers.

Under cross-examination from prosecuting barrister Mary Loram QC the accused boy said: “I remember stabbing him to the neck. After that I just remember running home.”

Roberts Buncis, 12.

Miss Loram asked him: “We know Roberts was stabbed over 70 times. Do you remember more than one stab to the neck?”

The defendant replied “Not really. I don’t remember causing any other wounds.”

The boy added “He was already on the ground when I stabbed him to the neck.”

He was asked “What made him go to the ground?” He replied “I don’t really remember.”

Miss Loram asked “Why did you kill him?” The defendant replied “He attacked me with a knife”.

The prosecutor then asked him “Why did you have to kill him?” He said “I don’t remember”.

The defendant was then asked “You must have been very angry?”. He responded “Yes”.

Miss Loram asked him “You can’t give any explanation as to why you stabbed him when he was on the ground and stabbed him again and again?” The boy responded “No.”

The prosecutor then said to him “The only explanation, and it is quite simple, is that you killed him because you wanted to.” The boy answered “No”.

The boy has told the jury he met up with Roberts at 3.30 am to hand over a package of cannabis which Roberts was to sell for him.

He said he bought the cannabis earlier for £150 from a dealer in Judge Close, Boston, which he paid for by selling bikes he had stolen.

He denied Miss Loram’s suggestion that he was lying when he talked of a plan for Roberts to sell cannabis for him.

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. He has told the jury that Roberts attacked him with a knife which he wrestled from the younger boy and then used it to stab him.

The trial continues.

More from the Roberts Buncis murder trial:

• Boy accused of murder admits to being “excited by violence”
• Boy accused of murder “just lost it” but “didn’t mean” to kill Roberts Buncis
• 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