Jack Frew trial: Accused had ‘no memory’ of carrying out attack

Craig Roy wept as he told the jury: “I want to know what happened that night. If I could make things right again, I would. But I can’t.”

Roy, 19, was giving evidence yesterday for the second day in the trial at the High Court in Glasgow where he is accused of murdering 16-year-old Jack in East Kilbride on 6 May, 2010. He denies the offence.

It is alleged that Roy repeatedly struck and stabbed Jack in the neck and body with a knife.

The trial has previously been told Jack was left with 20 stab wounds and a slash across his throat. At an earlier hearing, Roy entered a guilty plea to culpable homicide, but it was rejected by the Crown.

Roy said yesterday that he took responsibility for the killing, but claimed he had no memory of the attack on Jack. He said he only recalled taking out a knife, and then seeing the younger boy lying bleeding on the ground with his throat cut. He insisted: “I did not murder Jack Frew.”

Roy has told the jury he was “blackmailed” by Jack, who threatened to tell his boyfriend about a sexual encounter they shared in a school toilet.

He said he arranged to meet Jack after school and intended to “scare” him into leaving him alone by taking a knife with him. When they met, Jack led him to a secluded spot and exposed himself to him, Roy told the court.

He told the jury: “I remember being angry. Extremely angry.

“Jack was lying on the ground. I was trying to help him. He was bleeding from the neck.

“I was still holding the knife. It was covered in blood. I was terrified that it was me that had caused this to Jack.”

But Jennifer Bain, prosecuting, suggested that Roy’s memory loss was “a convenience”.She said: “Is it not the case that you remember stabbing Jack Frew that night? Is it not the case that you remember Jack Frew fighting back? Is the reason you won’t tell anyone because Jack was screaming in pain and fighting for his life?”

He denied her allegations, and replied: “No. I wouldn’t know.”

The advocate depute said: “Did you even care about what you had done?” Roy answered: “When I came to the conclusion that it must have been me, yes, I did care..”

Ms Bain retorted: “Trying to help him by stabbing him 20 times and slitting his throat?”

Roy said: “I don’t recall stabbing him 20 times and slitting his throat. I did try to help.”

Ms Bain asked why Roy had told his boyfriend he had stabbed Jack, told his sister that he had slashed his throat and admitted to a policeman that he had stabbed him in the back.

She said: “Is this lack of memory just a convenience?”

Roy started to break down as he answered: “If I could know I would want to know. I want to know what happened that night.”

Proceedings were adjourned twice for Roy to compose himself. The trial continues.

The trial continues.