Ramarni Crosby: Fight among rival groups ended in death

An arranged fight between two groups of teenagers in Gloucester resulted in a 16-year-old boy being fatally stabbed, Bristol Crown Court has heard.

Ramarni Crosby, of Frampton on Severn, suffered multiple stab wounds on the evening of 15 December last year.

It was thought the fight would be settled with fists but Ramarni faced eight youths armed with machetes, a meat cleaver and knives, jurors heard.

Eight teenagers accused of his murder deny the charges.

Dean Bradley Smith, 19, of Lannett Road, Gloucester, appeared at Bristol Crown Court earlier for the opening of the trial.

He appeared along with two 17-year-old boys; three 16-year-old boys and two 15-year-old boys, none of whom can be named, for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Adam Vaitilingam QC, prosecuting, told the jury there had been rivalry between two groups of young men in Gloucester.

A week before the attack there was a fight between a 16-year-old defendant and one of Ramarni's friends.

The two teenagers involved subsequently messaged each other to arrange a further confrontation, the court heard.

"Ramarni's friend says the fight would be between the five in his group, which included Ramarni, and five from the 16-year-old defendant's group," said Mr Vaitilingam.

Mr Vaitilingam told the jury a second friend of Ramarni's had also arranged to meet up for a "fist fight to sort out an ongoing dispute".

"As the other group approached they could see there was eight of them.

"Ramarni's friend could see they were carrying a bunch of knives and weapons.

"He and the friend's group ran off, but Ramarni stayed and swung punches at the other group. He didn't see Ramarni get stabbed.

"He saw a lot of weapons and they were all on Ramarni," added Mr Vaitilingam.

CCTV footage taken from properties in the Barton area of the city showed Ramarni collapsing in Stratton Road where he died a short time later.

Mr Vaitilingam said none of the eight defendants were arrested at the scene, allowing them to dispose of their mobile phones and weapons.

The court heard Ramarni suffered six wounds to his body, including a fatal stab wound to his chest, as well as stab injuries to his upper back, upper left arm, lower arm and the top of his head.

A ninth defendant, Keishaleigh Margrett-Whitter, of Lyncroft Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, denies two charges of assisting an offender.

It is alleged she provided one of the defendants with a change of clothing and swapped a mobile phone sim card.

It is also claimed she swapped a second sim card with another defendant.

The trial continues.

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