A distraught mother ran to the scene where a 14-year-old boy had been stabbed after a call from her son – who had avoided the blade – but was ‘screaming and crying’ as his friend lay dying.
Tomasz Oleszak, of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, died from a single stab wound to the front of his chest which was 8cm deep and 4.5cm wide.
Another boy, 14, escaped uninjured after he ‘jumped back’ and the weapon penetrated just his coat, jurors have been told.
The incident occurred on October 4 last year in the Whitehills Nature Park next to the Springwell estate, where Tomasz lived.
The youth accused of carrying out the attacks, who is 15 and cannot be named, denies murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
The victim, Tomasz Oleszak, of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, died from a single stab wound to the front of his chest which was 8cm deep and 4.5cm wide
The mum of the boy who escaped told detectives her son had been out with friends last October when she received a call from him in the early evening.
In a statement she said: ‘At around 8.17pm I received a phone call from my son.
‘My son was screaming and crying down the phone and was clearly very upset.
‘He told me Tomasz was lying on the ground, that there was blood everywhere.
‘He was crying, telling me to come as he didn’t know what to do. I asked where he was.’
The mum said she ran towards the area and could see blue lights, so followed them.
She added: ‘I could see Tomasz lying on the ground, receiving medical attention.
‘My son ran over to me multiple times, crying and hugging me. I tried to reassure him.
‘My son showed me exactly on his coat where the male who had stabbed Tomasz had also tried to stab him.’
The mum said the damage to her son’s coast was ‘where his heart was located’.
The incident occurred on October 4 last year in the Whitehills Nature Park next to the Springwell estate, where Tomasz lived
A youth who was also at the Whitehills Nature Park on the night of the stabbing told detectives in a video recorded interview, which has been played in court: ‘I seen him pulling a blade out of Tom.
‘Everyone just ran, out of shock.
‘Tom kept running then he just hit the floor.’
Tragically, the 8cm-deep stab wound ended young Tomasz’s life.
The court heard the youth accused of the attacks claims he was acting in self defence.
On Tuesday, Prosecutor Mark McKone, KC, read a statement from a friend of the victim to the court, as the young witness described what happened.
The boy said: ‘I heard the suspect shout “I’m gonna wet you”, it’s slang for ”I’m gonna stab you”.
In describing the fateful event last year, Mr McKone said: ‘The defendant got into conflict with other youths in a park over something trivial.
The mum of the boy who escaped told detectives her son had been out with friends last October when she received a call from him in the early evening
‘It seems the defendant had said something to the youths and/or given them a dirty look, although this was before Tomasz arrived.
‘The defendant was with his girlfriend, who had previously gone out with a member of the group.
‘The prosecution accept that someone had said they were going to hit the defendant and that a group had approached him.’
The prosecutor continued to say: ‘The defendant stabbed one youth, Tomasz Oleszak who died soon after he was stabbed. Tomasz was still aged 14.
‘The defendant tried to stab another youth but fortunately only his coat was stabbed.
Tomasz’s death left the community of Gateshead in shock, with scores of people paying tribute to the popular and talented footballer. Pictured is a letter left for the teen
‘Tomasz was part of a big group of approximately 10 people, although he only joined the group at a late stage and shortly before he was stabbed.’
He passed away on October 5, 2022, in the early hours of the morning.
The teenager, who came to England from Poland for a ‘better life’, leaves behind his mother Kamila, father Patryk and a little brother.
When Tomasz was six, his family moved from Wroclaw in southwestern Poland to the UK.
The teenager was a keen footballer and played for the local Cleveland Hall junior football team as a midfielder in the under-15s squad.
Sadly, the knife completely severed the cartilage of the right third rib, which required a reasonable amount of force, the court heard, with Mr McKone adding: ‘The direction of the stab wound was mainly backwards and slightly from the deceased boy’s right to left.
The teenager, who came to England from Poland for a ‘better life’, leaves behind his mother Kamila, father Patryk and a little brother
‘The prosecution say that the nature of the deep stab wound means that this was a deliberate stabbing rather than something which could simply happen by waving the knife around.’
After the stabbing it is alleged the defendant contacted his girlfriend and told her he didn’t have a knife and added ‘if anyone messages you say nothing, don’t say what’s apparently happened’.
He the proceeded to bury the knife following the killing, the court heard.
Mr McKone said the boy will claim that he acted in self defence because members of Tomasz’s group were the aggressors in the incident and were attacking him.
He told jurors: ‘The defendant says that he was attacked by a large number of young men, possibly five, who punched and kicked him and knocked him to the floor.
‘The prosecution accept that some of the group moved towards him but they do not accept that the defendant was punched and kicked.’
The attacker denies the murder of Tomasz, attempted grievous bodily harm on his friend and carrying a prohibited weapon.
The trial continues. It is expected to last for at least 10 days and possibly up to Easter weekend.
