Teenage girl admits murder in row over boy

Teenage girl admits murder in row over boy

Kayla Smith, 18, pleads guilty to the murder of Chloe Watson Dransfield, who she stabbed to death.

A teenager has admitted murdering a 16-year-old girl who she stabbed to death in a pre-planned fight over a boy.

Chloe Watson Dransfield, 16, was taken by her boyfriend Blake Dowling, 18, to the home of Kayla Smith, 18, who fatally stabbed her in the early hours of 28 March.

Smith had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder. She then changed her plea to guilty on the second day of her trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Dowling and Archie Rycroft, 20, who followed Smith to the fight at the house in Kennerleigh Avenue in Leeds, are also charged with murder and manslaughter and their trial will continue.

The judge, Mr Justice Cavanagh KC, said he would sentence Smith once the trial was over.

He warned her that the only sentence he could pass for murder was life imprisonment, but that he would need to set the minimum term she must spend in custody.

The trial heard on Wednesday that Dowling had been in a relationship with both Chloe and Smith and "knew of the bad feeling between the two females".

Dowling's mother said Smith was "jealous and obsessed" over her son's relationship with Chloe.

The prosecution said Chloe and Smith had argued the previous evening, with Smith threatening to "stab her" several times.

In brief

A teenager has admitted murdering a 16-year-old girl who she stabbed to death in a pre-planned fight over a boy. Smith had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denied murder. Dowling's mother said Smith was "jealous and obsessed" over her son's relationship with Chloe. The prosecution said Chloe and Smith had argued the previous evening, with Smith threatening to "stab her" several times.

This is the opening of the story, shared with credit to BBC News — Top Stories. The rest of the report — with every detail — continues on the publisher’s website.

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