Teenager stabbed to death in pre-planned fight over boy, court told

Summarised from 4 outlets · 12 reports · Updated 11 Nov, 16:59 · Archive

Chloe Watson Dransfield, 16, was fatally stabbed in Leeds on 28 March in a fight arranged after she and another girl argued over a boy.

Chloe Watson Dransfield, 16, from Gomersal, was found with five stab wounds on Kennerleigh Avenue in Austhorpe, Leeds, at around 6am on Saturday 28 March. She was taken to hospital by ambulance but died later that day. Three people from Leeds are on trial at Leeds Crown Court: Kayla Smith, 18, Archie Rycroft, 20, and Blake Dowling, 18, all accused of murder. Smith has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. Rycroft and Dowling deny both murder and manslaughter.

The prosecution alleges the stabbing arose from a love triangle. Blake Dowling had been in a relationship with both Chloe and Smith and knew of bad feeling between the two young women. The court heard that Chloe and Dowling took a taxi to Smith's home on the morning of the killing for a pre-arranged fight. At 4.27am, Smith allegedly messaged Chloe: 'Come catch this fade b****', with 'fade' being slang for a fight. Chloe replied: 'Okay sweet cheeks.'

CCTV footage shown to jurors appeared to show Smith, wearing pyjamas, running from her house shouting 'Come on big girl' while appearing to hold something in her hand, with Rycroft following closely behind. The stabbing itself was not caught on footage, but the aftermath was. Chloe was stabbed twice in the neck and three times in the back, with a wound to her back given as the cause of death. It took 37 minutes for an ambulance to be called.

The prosecution case is that Smith inflicted all the blows with a knife whilst Rycroft and Dowling encouraged her to use violence. The prosecutor told the court that Rycroft was guilty of murder 'by walking with Kayla Smith to the fight and by trying to film Kayla Smith using violence and by providing support to her, if needed'. The trial opened on Wednesday 11 November.

How it is being reported

• Gomersal teenager Chloe Watson Dransfield fatally stabbed in fight over a boy, court toldA teenager from Gomersal was stabbed to death in a pre-planned fight over an argument about a boy, a court has heard.Dewsbury Reporter · 11 Nov, 16:21
• Chloe Watson Dransfield murder trial day two - 15 things jury heard as Kayla Smith admits manslaughterThe trial was opened on WednesdayHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 16:05
• Footage shows pyjama-clad killer shouting 'Come on big girl' before fatal stabbingKayla Smith has admitted the manslaughter of Chloe Watson DransfieldHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 15:46
• Trio deny murder of teenage girl in row over boyKayla Smith, Archie Rycroft and Blake Dowling are on trial over Chloe Dransfield's death in Leeds.BBC Leeds And West Yorkshire · 11 Nov, 13:21
• Chloe Watson Dransfield left dying and bleeding out for 37 minutes before 999 call - TrialThree people are standing trial accused of Chloe's murderHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 12:52
• Alleged Leeds killers 'laughed and took drugs' as Chloe Watson Dransfield lay dying, court toldPolice said they were taking nitrous oxide after being told Chloe had diedYorkshire Evening Post · 11 Nov, 12:47
• 'I'm stabbing her ... on my nana's ashes' text boast of teen accused of murdering Chloe Watson DransfieldMurder accused sent series of text messages to friend and victim before stabbingHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 12:34
• Chloe Watson Dransfield murdered with a knife in tragic love-triangle spat, court toldFatal attack was “pre-planned” by love rival, the Crown sayYorkshire Evening Post · 11 Nov, 12:22
• Kayla Smith admits Chloe Watson Dransfield manslaughter on first day of trialKayla Smith has admitted the manslaughter of Gomersal teenager Chloe Watson DransfieldHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 10:45
• Chloe Watson Dransfield murder trial LIVE as jury hears case against three teensChloe died from stab wounds after being found in a Leeds streetHuddersfield Examiner · 11 Nov, 05:00
• Chloe Watson Dransfield murder accused teen named for the first timeChloe was stabbed and killed earlier this year - three teens are now standing trialHuddersfield Examiner · 10 Nov, 11:02
• Chloe Watson Dransfield murder trial LIVE as trio accused of killing girl, 16Chloe died from stab wounds after being found in a Leeds streetHuddersfield Examiner · 10 Nov, 09:30

In this story: Chloe Watson Dransfield · Kayla Smith · Archie Rycroft · Blake Dowling · Leeds Crown Court · Gomersal · Austhorpe · Leeds

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log