A teenager was stabbed to death 20 times by friends, buried in a makeshift grave and set alight, a trial has heard.
The body of Kieran Williams, 18, was found in a 2.4ft deep grave in Sunderland six weeks after he vanished at Easter time last year.
Prosecutors allege he was knifed by friends Ben Cook, 19, and Louis Hackett, 20, in a ‘prolonged and sustained attack’ before being buried near a disused industrial estate near the River Wear.
Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court heard the suspects then texted Mr Williams after the killing, in what was claimed to be an attempt to cover their tracks.
Police initially arrested the two men on suspicion of kidnapping, but when fingerprints were found at the site, the suspects turned on each other and accused each other of murder.
Kieran Williams, 18, was found dead in a makeshift grave in Sunderland
The 18-year-old disappeared on April 18 last year and his body was found on June 2 after extensive police searches. Pictured: Police at the burial site
He was last seen on April 18. He had received messages from both the accused on the same day.
David Lamb KC, prosecuting, said Mr Williams had been in touch with them before going to meet them.
He said: ‘The prosecution case is this pattern of contact leading to Kieran leaving his mum’s address and walking to the area where he was killed is indicative that this was a planned attack by these two defendants and they were in it together as part of a joint plan.’
Mr Lamb said that after allegedly murdering Mr Williams, Hackett texted him saying ‘are you taking the p***, where are you, waiting about like a daft ****’, then added ‘f*** ya, don’t speak to me again’.
Mr Lamb told the court: ‘Of course he didn’t, because Kieran was dead.’
Cook also messaged Mr Williams on Facebook asking ‘you back yet mate’.
Mr Williams, who lived in supported accommodation, was at his mother Tracey Williams’s house on April 18.
She said she left the house at 5.30pm and he was not home when she returned.
Police discovered a grave in a wooded area near a disused industrial estate by the Northern Spire Bridge in Sunderland, near the River Wear
The court heard that on May 1, both of the accused returned to the burial site. Hackett also returned on May 2 and Cook went back a day later.
Mr Lamb said: ‘On June 2, about five weeks after the murder, Kieran’s decomposed body was discovered by a police officer and her police dog, buried in a grave in an area of heavy undergrowth in a disused industrial landscape.’
His body was examined by a pathologist who said he had suffered at least 20 stab wounds, including three to the front of his chest, two to his right torso, seven to his neck and a number of other wounds to his limbs.
One of the stab wounds had penetrated a membrane surrounding his heart, another penetrated his aorta and two entered his liver.
Mr Williams died from blood loss as a result of a ‘prolonged and sustained attack’.
The court heard an attempt had been made to set Mr Williams on fire in the grave but the fire damage was limited to his clothes not his body.
Mr Lamb said the grave was 2.4ft deep and it ‘did not resemble a hurriedly dug or poorly constructed grave’.
Cook, 19, of Fordfield Road, Sunderland, and Hackett, 20, of Fordenbridge Square, Sunderland, deny murder at Newcastle Crown Court (pictured)
He said that while it cannot be said with certainty the grave was dug before Mr Williams was killed, there was evidence of pre-planning.
Mr Lamb said: ‘It was in a secluded area and access to vehicles would not have been possible. In short, this was not an easy place to get to. There were numerous spade marks in the sides and base of the grave. It was dug in clay soil and would’ve taken a considerable effort to dig out.’
Attempts had been made to cover the grave with leaves, sticks and branches.
A shovel, spade and fork were later recovered by police on the bank of the River Wear.
When Hackett was interviewed, he told police Mr Williams was ‘like a brother to him’ and said he ‘would give him the clothes off his back’.
Hackett also called Mr Williams a ‘class lad’ and said the three boys were friends.
Police inquiries had initially led to the arrest of Cook and Hackett on suspicion of kidnap.
Hackett denied any involvement, but when a forensic archaeologist found his fingerprint in clay on the grave and within the grave, he changed his story, saying he and Cook had gone to the deposition site and met Mr Williams.
He claimed Cook argued with Mr Williams and Cook produced a knife and stabbed him numerous times.
He claimed he tried to pull Cook off him but Mr Williams collapsed. Hackett said Cook asked him to help him after it became clear Mr Williams was dead and said he was ‘not thinking straight’ so helped Cook bury him.
Cook, who also changed his initial story, said Hackett had attacked Mr Williams and stabbed him multiple times. Cook also claimed Hackett had then threatened him with the same knife and told him to move the body.
Cook claimed Hackett set fire to Mr Williams’s body then covered it with leaves and shrubbery. He said he was then told to leave and to ring Mr Williams later as if nothing was wrong.
David Lamb KC, prosecuting, said: ‘We say each man made his calculation before throwing his co-accused under the bus as a final throw of the dice to get out of their own involvement in a murder which, we say, both men were involved and in respect of which they were in it together.’
Cook, 19, of Fordfield Road, Sunderland, and Hackett, 20, of Fordenbridge Square, Sunderland, deny murder.
The trial at Newcastle Crown Court continues.
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