A NEIGHBOUR of a Kooringal High School student stabbed to death reported a sound of “absolute terror” moments before seeing the teenager and his alleged murderer, a court has heard.
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Bryce Cliff, 30, is accused of murdering James Cleghorn, 16, at his family’s Acacia Street home on June 7, 2016.
The Wagga Supreme Court on Wednesday heard the teenager was stabbed about 30 times, including once in the heart, which had killed him.
About 20 of the defence wounds were to his hands and fingers.
Cliff has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The 30-year-old indicated he wished to instead plead guilty to manslaughter, which was not accepted by the prosecution.
Crown prosecutor Max Pincott said the teenager’s neighbour Wade Garland, who lived beneath James’s Acacia Street home, heard the “distinct sound of a human being in absolute distress” on the night of the incident.
His dog reacted and went to the front of his home before James moved past, before seeing a man armed with a “stabbing implement”, the court heard.
Mr Garland hit the man with his dog chain, causing him to flee, dropping a black backpack along the way.
James locked himself in Mr Garland’s unit and was found dead inside with lacerations.
A steak knife with a bent blade was later found by police.
Defence counsel Eric Wilson said many of the facts were not in dispute.
Cliff agreed the pair knew each other, that he travelled from Wollongong to the Acacia Street property on the day of the offence, and that he was alone in the house with the teenager when he was injured.
A crucial issue will be the intent of Cliff, Mr Wilson told the court.
He said the 30-year-old didn't bring the knife to the property.
It also wasn’t in dispute that Cliff had forced his way into a Tichborne Crescent house after the stabbing, demanded car keys, ripped open a garage door and drove away in a Toyota.
There was a three-hour period from the stabbing to Cliff’s arrest in the stolen car at Big Springs, Mr Wilson told the court.
The court heard Cliff had jumped over fences after the stabbing, dropping items along the way, which meant there were many witnesses.
The court heard 97 witnesses could be called during the trial, which is expected to last three weeks.
“So much happened on that night,” Mr Wilson said.
“It was very busy.”
Cliff, who appeared in court in a dark suit with short hair, sat quietly during Wednesday’s hearing.
The matter will return to court on Thursday.
