Teenager guilty of murdering 16-year-old at New Year's Eve event

A teenager has been found guilty of murder over the stabbing of a 16-year-old at a New Year's Eve event.

Areece Lloyd-Hall, 18, was found guilty of Harry Pitman's murder following a trial at the Old Bailey. The teenager was fatally attacked in Primrose Hill park, north London, just before midnight on 31 December 2023, after he gathered with friends to watch the fireworks.

A court heard Harry's injury was caused by a knife brought to the scene by Lloyd-Hall, who was also aged 16 at the time. Ms Ledward told the court that Harry and Lloyd-Hall did not know each other and went to Primrose Hill with separate groups of friends.

Lloyd-Hall pushed forward and lunged at Harry with a pointed dagger, metres from the point at which uniformed police officers were stationed. In "shocking" mobile phone footage played in court, a knife sheath is seen to fly through the air during the incident.

Harry holds his neck, his white T-shirt covered in blood, as he pushes through crowds calling to officers for "help". He collapsed and died minutes later, shortly before midnight.

College student Lloyd-Hall claimed he thought he had only hit Harry with the sheath as he tried to get Harry away from him. Read more: More than 100 killed in Gaza as Israel launches new strikesMan who made bomb hoax call days after Manchester attack jailed He said: "I did not want him to lose his life.

"I feel horrible for what I caused. It was not my intention." He said he ran off, not realising what had happened because he was holding a knife and knew there were police officers nearby.

Jurors were told Lloyd-Hall was suffering from cannabis-induced paranoia and may have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by witnessing the aftermath of a previous stabbing and the loss of a friend to knife crime in June 2023. After a retrial at the Old Bailey, Lloyd-Hall, from Westminster, was found guilty of murder by a majority of 11 to one after a jury deliberated for nearly eight hours.

At a trial in October last year, a jury found Lloyd-Hall guilty of possession of an offensive weapon but failed to agree on other charges, it can now be reported. Harry's family members, sitting in court, gasped as Lloyd-Hall was convicted of murder.

The teenager will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 10 November. The incident appeared to have been sparked by a scuffle between Harry and one of the defendant's friends shortly after 11.30pm.

Harry lost his balance seeing how high he could kick while playfighting and bumped into the boy behind him. Harry was then shoved and slapped on the back of the head, causing him to say: "Don't touch me, because I didn't touch you." Lloyd-Hall approached Harry, holding his trousers and saying: "Wot wot wot wot wot." In mobile phone footage shown to the court, a girl warns "mindi.