Jury retires to consider verdict in Roberts Buncis murder case

The jury in the trial of the 14-year-old boy accused of murdering 12-year-old Roberts Buncis retired to consider its verdict in the case on Monday afternoon.

The defendant stabbed Roberts over 70 times and tried to decapitate him after messaging the 12-year-old and arranging to meet him in a wooded area near to Alcorn Green, Fishtoft.

The accused boy has admitted killing Roberts but claims they met up so he could hand over a stash of cannabis to Roberts to sell for him.

Roberts Buncis and his dad Edgar. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

He told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court that Roberts produced a knife during an argument and he wrestled the weapon from him before stabbing him with it. He said serious injuries caused to his own hand were caused by taking the knife from Roberts.

During the trial the defendant said he did not intend to hurt Roberts but suffered a loss of self-control.

The boy, who cannot be named because of a court order, admits manslaughter but denies a charge of murder as a result of the incident on December 12, 2020.

The prosecution say the defendant lied when he said the meeting was about drugs and when he said it was the defendant who took a knife to the scene.

From the funeral of 12-year-old Roberts Buncis. | Photo: John Aron

Mary Loram QC, prosecuting, said the account given by the defendant was fictitious and his version that his injuries were caused in wrestling the knife from Roberts could not be true as evidence showed he would not have been able to grip the weapon to inflict the fatal injuries.

She told the jury the 14-year-old feared Roberts would snitch on him and was motivated by anger, wanting to punish the younger boy.

She described the attack on Roberts as brutal and prolonged and the blows were of such force that it appeared the defendant had tried to cut off Roberts’ head and one of his hands. During the attack the blade of the knife broke with the tip being left embedded in Roberts’ skull.

Afterwards the defendant went home and set fire to his clothing and the knife.

Miss Loram told the jury: “However shocking it is, the evidence shows that the defendant not only killed him but murdered him.”

More from the Roberts Buncis murder trial:

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