A BOY accused of murdering teenager Reece Tansey took to social media in the hours after the attack to tell a Snapchat group, “Boys, I stabbed someone”.

A jury at Manchester Crown Court heard a statement from a 15-year-old boy who was a member of the group and saw Boy A’s message on the morning of May 4.

The boy stated that people in the group did not believe Boy A, who told them that he did not know whether his victim was alive or dead when he left him.

It was only later, when they saw a news report about a stabbing, that group members realised he had been telling the truth.

“This was when I realised he had really done it,” stated the boy.

Boy A and Boy B, who are both aged 15 and cannot be identified, deny murder.

On the sixth and final day of the prosecution evidence, the court heard how Boy A declined to answer questions following his arrest.

Boy B also did not answer questions, instead handing a prepared statement to the officers denying any involvement in attacking Reece or even being aware that Boy A had a knife.

The boy stated that he had an argument with his dad and, in the early hours of the morning, received a message from Boy A asking him if he wanted to meet up as he was going to have a fight.

“I’m quite frightened of him as he has a bit of a reputation,” said Boy B. “I made it quite clear to him that I didn’t want to get involved but I would go and watch the fight.

“He told me Reece had been cocky with him on social media and wanted to have it out with him.”

The boy told police that he did not know that anyone was going to be hurt.

“I thought it was just going to be a one-on-one fist fight,” he said.

Boy B stated that when they met up in Walker Avenue, Great Lever, Reece threw a punch at Boy A and Boy A retaliated before Reece ran off with Boy A chasing him.

“I could see them fighting again in the distance,” said Boy B, who added that he shouted for Boy A to come back.

Boy B added that he did not see Boy A with a knife or blood on him when he returned and they headed away from the scene.

The boy stated that he returned home and was woken by his dad in the morning who told him that someone had been stabbed.

He added that, after reading on social media that it was Reece who had been attacked, he asked his father to ring police.

Reece was stabbed six times and died from his injuries a short time after the attack but not before naming Boy A and the boy who was with him, to a member of the public. He had been found bleeding heavily in a front garden after he tried to get help from a householder.

Shortly after the stabbing, Boy A posted a short video of himself carrying a blood-covered knife on social media and bearing the word ‘muppet’.

The court heard that 11 hours after the incident Boy A’s phone underwent a factory reset, wiping all content. It was just 25 minutes before the device was seized by police.

But Det Sgt Marc Barker told the jury that specialist software was used to recover the video and some messages.

The trial continues.