Sheffield Crown Court: Teenager denies murdering two young revellers on night out

Sheffield Crown Court heard during a trial how Amrit Jhagra, aged 19, of Cedar Road, at Balby, Doncaster, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Janis Kozlovskis and Ryan Theobald on High Street, in Doncaster city centre, and he has also denied possessing an offensive weapon.

Prosecuting barrister Richard Thyne QC said: “In the early hours of Saturday, January 29, of this year, on High Street, in the centre of Doncaster, two young men were stabbed to death.

“Janis Kozlovskis was just 17-years-old. His friend Ryan Theobald was just 20. It is the prosecution’s case that Amrit Jhagra murdered them both.”

Mr Thyne also claimed Jhagra had been in possession of a knife which had allegedly been used to inflict the injuries upon both of the deceased.

He added Janis Kozlovskis and Ryan Theobald had been with friends and as they left CoCo nightclub, on Silver Street, Amrit Jhagra and two of his friends, who had been had been to Pizza Jim takeaway, were spotted.

Mr Thyne said Janis Kozlovskis approached one of the defendant’s friends and the two began throwing punches and grappling and they moved to High Street with the others following, with the incident captured on CCTV.

Jhagra bent down and picked up what appeared to be a mobile phone dropped by his friend, according to Mr Thyne, and at around that time he allegedly produced a knife from a pocket.

Mr Thyne claimed that as the fight continued Ryan Theobald got involved and threw a punch at the defendant’s friend before Jhagra swung out at Ryan Theobald’s face.

He said: “The prosecution say the defendant can be seen swinging his right hand at the left side of Ryan Theobald’s face.

“And we can see Ryan Theobald chase after him and we can see the defendant stab him on the left side of his front. A few seconds later the defendant takes a further slash at Ryan Theobald’s neck or chest area and Ryan Theobald steps away and a few seconds later he collapses in the road.”

Mr Thyne added Jhagra then chased after Janis Kozlovskis and pulled him to the ground and during a struggle the prosecution claims the defendant stabbed him several times.

Despite the efforts of door staff, passers-by and paramedics, Ryan Theobald was pronounced dead at the scene and Janis Kozlovskis was taken to hospital but was also pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Jhagra told police there had been a feud with the deceased and their friends based on the areas they came from in Doncaster and there had been previous fights and someone had previously tried to stab him and he had been beaten up.

The defendant stated he had been staying at a Premier Inn and he and his friends had gone out for pizza and he had not realised he had a multi-tool in his pocket, which has never been recovered.

Jhagra, who has denied two counts of murder and one count of possessing an offensive weapon, claimed to police he had intervened to stop the fight and at some point he was on the ground being kicked and punched and he could not remember what had happened.

He told officers that at no point had he intended to cause any harm to anyone and he claimed he had simply been trying to defend himself.

However, Mr Thyne said: “The prosecution say that self-defence does not even get started here. That number of stab wounds to such significant parts of the body, face, neck chest and abdomen do not happen by accident.

“And the prosecution say they demonstrate an intention - even if not to kill – then at the very least to cause really serious harm.”

The trial continues.