Edward Reeve murder trial: What we've learned so far

Mr Reeve was found at his home in Heath Road, Walkford on January 4, 2021.

Two teenagers, a 16-year-old boy from Christchurch and a 17-year-old boy from Bournemouth were charged with his murder on New Year’s Eve.

The boys, who cannot be named, have been in the dock as the prosecution opened its case against them.

READ MORE: Teens 'bragged' about stabbing

Opening the case on Monday, prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones QC said Mr Reeve was introduced to the Christchurch teen two days before the incident, Mr Reeve wanting to buy drugs.

Two days later, the Christchurch teen went with the Bournemouth teen and three girls to Mr Reeve’s home where they drank and smoked cannabis.

The court heard how the defendants became “agitated” with the victim and started punching holes in the wall.

“The violence escalated, and they both attacked Mr Reeve, stabbing and slashing his legs, from behind and his face,” Ms Karmy-Jones QC said.

“It's clear that two knives were used. They stabbed, slashed, and grievously attacked Mr Reeve.”

READ MORE: Accused teens left man 'crawling in garden'

The jury were then shown the police interview of one of the girls present that night.

She said all three had left before the alleged attack but were soon caught up by the boys.

They boys 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.”

READ MORE: Jury hear of moment body was found

The second of the three girls, referred to as Girl 2, told police in her interview the Christchurch teen “doesn’t care about things” and the Bournemouth teen can be “not a very nice person”.

She said: "(The boys) came over, they definitely weren't sad, they were quite energetic, they said 'we just stabbed him', at that point I just walked away I was in shock, I didn't know what to say.

“I said (to the girls) can we walk ahead, that's when we started walking back, then that's when we stopped and they did something and they asked me to hold (the knife) and I took it, I don't know why."

The jury were told how the Christchurch teen returned to the scene on the evening of January 3.

He hired a Beryl Bike from Hinton Admiral Train Station and cycled “virtually” to the front door of Mr Reeve’s address.

He spent approximately ten minutes there, the court heard.

Finally, the court was played the police interview of the girl who discovered Mr Reeve’s body.

She went to his house on January 4 after not hearing from him for a few days.

She said: “It was a gut feeling, we need to go check on him, he never doesn't answer his phone.

“There was a smell in the porch, like cat ****. I had an overwhelming sense something's not right.

“I went round the back, it's glass we can see through. I took one step and saw him and I walked back round the front of the house.

“I saw the chair on the floor, I moved my body more forward and saw him lying there, I knew it was him because of the shirt and stubble.

"He was face up, staring at the ceiling. He was wearing a beige, stripy shirt and this part (moustache) of his face was covered in blood.”

The trial continues.