Teen witness tells police murder suspect was 'provoked'

Jury hears more evidence from witness to stabbing

A teenager who witnessed his childhood friend stab a boy from Castletown last year told police he felt he’d been ‘provoked’.

The 16-year-old was one of those questioned by officers about what happened to Christopher McBurnie, on 29 May last year, in Ramsey.

Today (5 October) at Douglas Courthouse the teenager’s Video Recorded Interview, compiled on 30 May 2025 at Police Headquarters, was shown to a jury.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is currently standing trial accused of murder.

The jury has already been told the defendant will argue that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed Christopher.

‘Provoking’

Giving his account the teenage witness told a police officer he’d walked to the defendant’s home, on the afternoon of 29 May 2025, because he’d been told a fight was taking place.

“There was meant to be a fight between X (the defendant) and Chris,” he explained. “It was meant to be a 2 v 1.”

“We didn’t particularly want to watch the fight,” he added: “We were just there because our other mates were.”

He told the officer that some of the people involved ‘were from south’ and he hadn't spoken to them as he didn't know them. “I don’t speak to south people. I live in Ramsey,” he explained. 

CCTV showed the witness in a group of teenagers waiting at Ramsey Bus Station for the bus which Christopher, and two friends, arrived on just after 3pm.

Describing the conversations the group had on the way to the defendant’s home the witness said Christopher appeared ‘ready to fight’.

“He looked angry,” he said. “He was just saying how he was going to batter him (the defendant) and that.”

The witness said he watched, from an alleyway, as Christopher went into the defendant’s garden and began ‘giving him s**t’ adding: “You know, provoking him and that.”

He said 14-year-old Christopher had called the defendant a ‘p***y’, describing the exchange as ‘nasty’, and adding: “I don’t think X (the defendant) actually said anything.”

Knife

The witness said the defendant opened the front door, and walked into the garden, before the two boys began ‘grabbing’ each other and ‘trying to get each other on the floor’.

“They were so close to each other – literally hugging,” he added.

He described watching Christopher throwing punches before he was stabbed saying: “I think I seen X (the defendant) hit him once with the knife - I think I seen that.”

The incident, the witness said, happened ‘within five to 10 seconds’.

“Someone screamed ‘someone got stabbed’,” the witness recalled, adding: “That scared me, so I ran.”

"I thought it would be a fair fight – knuckles and stuff.” - Witness

‘Fear’

The witness told the police officer he had known the defendant since early childhood adding: “He (the defendant) was just scared probably. He did look like he had fear in his face.”

When asked what the fight between the two boys had started over he replied: “A TikTok live stream – which I think is pretty pathetic to be honest.”

“X (the defendant) was one of my childhood friends. I never thought he’d be capable of doing anything so stupid,” the boy added.

Revealing he’d last been friendly with the defendant a year prior the witness said the Ramsey teen had stopped ‘coming out’ and ‘lost his social life’ adding: “Apparently it was depression and anxiety.”  

“You just wouldn’t think he’d (the defendant) be that type of person.

"I just don’t know what got in his head.” - Witness

The jury has previously been told the defendant has been diagnosed with ADHD, Autism and Social Anxiety. 

‘Scrapping’

Defence advocate Siobhan Grey KC put a series of messages, sent between the witness and the defendant to him during cross-examination to clarify his version of events.

They’d been sent just over an hour before Christopher was stabbed at 3.24pm.

In the first the witness asks the defendant: “You scrapping kids from Castletown?”

When asked why he’d sent the message to the defendant the witness replied: “I was just wondering if it was him that was going to fight.”

Other messages from the witness to the defendant suggested relocating the fight to Poyll Dooey instead of his home.

The defendant replied: “They ain’t going to do p**s.”  

Ms Grey KC also asked the witness more about the conversations that Christopher had on the way to the defendant’s home.

“He was just talking about how he wanted to batter him and stuff. He seemed pretty angry. He was all energetic. It was like he was happy,” the witness replied.

Pressed further about what happened outside the defendant’s gate the witness said: “He (Christopher) was saying ‘come outside’, ‘come and fight me you p***y’. He was provoking him.”

“You got the impression they were trying to force X (the defendant) out of his house?” the advocate queried.

“Kind of, yeah,” the witness replied.

“You thought he had a look of real fear in his face?” she questioned.

“I’ve never seen X (the defendant) like that,” the witness agreed.

The Trial

The juvenile defendant denies the charge of murder.

The trial, which is now in its second week, is due to continue tomorrow (6 October).