Edward Reeve murder trial: Accused teens were 'really excited'

A 16-year-old boy from Christchurch and a 17-year-old boy from Bournemouth are accused of murdering 35-year-old Walkford man Edward Reeve at his home address on New Year’s Eve.

Winchester Crown Court heard the accused pair went to Mr Reeve’s home in Heath Road on December 31, 2021, with three girls after meeting him two days before.

READ MORE: Edward Reeve murder trial: Witnesses continue to be called

The police interview with one of the girls they were with - recorded on January 10, six days after Mr Reeve was found in his home surrounded by blood - was played to the jury on the second day of the trial on Tuesday.

In it, the 15-year-old tells officer Kim Blackmore the boys were “drunk and looking for violence”.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the officer: "(Christchurch teen) got a call from this guy, he was like 'come round', he either said something about having weed or having coke.

"They were just saying 'okay let's go'. We (three girls) had nothing to do and they were asking us to go with them so we got the train around 5.30pm.

“We went upstairs. I was sat on this desk chair and there was a broken bed next to it.

“I remember he (Mr Reeve) walked in, I remember he had a hole in his sock and (Christchurch teen) was getting really aggravated, he needed to change his sock and it's not proper.

“At one point, two people moved this chest of drawers in front of the door.

“Then I remember (Christchurch teen) started punching the walls in that room and (Bournemouth teen) did it twice after.

“I think they were both drunk and looking for violence.”

She said her and the two other girls left as they felt uncomfortable and started heading back towards the train station.

The boys caught them up and told them “we’ve just killed this guy”, she told the police officer.

“They both said 'we've just stabbed this guy', then I’m pretty sure (Bournemouth teen) said he was crawling up his garden and crawled back into the house," the girl said.

“They were both really excited about it, it was almost like they were proud of themselves.

“I do remember one of them saying they slashed his face. Apparently (Christchurch teen) hit him first and then (Bournemouth teen) stabbed him in his ribs three times.”

Both the defendants showed the girls their knives, the court heard.

The girl said the Bournemouth teen at Hinton Admiral Train Station burnt a glove he had been wearing that night.

The court was also told earlier that Mr Reeve had been in contact with the Christchurch teen since December 29, asking him for drugs on numerous occasions.

On that day, the Christchurch teen stole a computer tower from Mr Reeve’s music room.

Both teens, who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny murder. The Christchurch teen admits having a bladed article, the Bournemouth teen denies the same charge.

The trial continues.