Glen Kitchens’ death trial: Teen denies throwing fatal punch

The teenager denies unlawfully killing 40-year-old Worksop man Glen Kitchens on 6th April 2013.

Evidence in the trial, now into its eighth day, is drawing to a close.

And the boy, who can not be named for legal reasons, is now giving his evidence to the court.

He agrees he was hanging around with a gang of his friends for most of that day.

He was stood outside BFC Chicken on Ryton Street at around 7.20pm just before the fatal punch was thrown just yards away outside Burton’s on Bridge Street.

“I heard lots of shouting and I looked to my left and I saw a man outside Burton’s trying to drop kick my friend,” the boy told the court.

“Then I think the man swung for another of my friends, and I’m pretty sure he swung back at him.”

He then admitted he ran across to see what was happening. Although in police interviews he denied running, saying he just walked. But CCTV shown in court has proved he ran.

Said Martin Hurst, defending: “What were you going over for?”

He replied: “To see what was happening.”

“The man was on the floor. Some of my friends started running.”

Said Mr Hurst: “Did you see him fall?”

“No,” he replied.

“Did you see anybody hit him?”

“No,” said the boy.

“I looked towards my left and saw two men running towards us. I tried to get an answer out of another friend about what had happened. And then I started to run.”

Mr Hurst asked: “Did you have any physical contact with Mr Kitchens?” To which the defendant said “no”.

In cross-examination, Philip Gibbs, prosecuting, said: “Mr Kitchens wasn’t already down. The footage shows there’s still time for you to cross the junction and we pick you up poleaxing Mr Kitchens, don’t we?”

Said the defendant: “No. I didn’t punch him.”

The trial continues.