The trial of a teenager accused of murdering an Aberdeen schoolboy has been adjourned after the defendant elected not to give evidence.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has admitted killing Bailey Gwynne, a fifth-year pupil at Cults Academy, but denies murder. Bailey died of a single stab wound after a brief scuffle in October.
Ian Duguid, QC, in mitigation, said that his client would not give testimony at the high court in Aberdeen and that he would not be calling any other witnesses. Lady Stacey, the judge, said that it would help the jury if closing speeches were postponed until Monday.
The jury had seen images of the wound that killed Bailey, described for them by James Grieve, emeritus professor of forensic medicine at the University of Aberdeen.
Using photographs of Bailey’s body, he detailed the extent of the wound, saying that the injury “absolutely” could have been caused by a knife retrieved from a recycling bin at the school. Bailey’s injury was “a very typical stab wound”, he said, which had “penetrated through the skin, into the chest wall, between the ribs, through the pericardial sac and into the heart”.
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Alex Prentice, QC, for the Crown, asked whether there had been “a realistic chance of survival” for Bailey. The professor said that quick surgery would have been necessary, adding: “It is not very far out of the city, but it is far enough.”
Mr Duguid pressed Professor Grieve on the force that would have been required to inflict the wound. He pointed out that the knife, with a blade of 8.5cm, had penetrated to about 4cm.
Professor Grieve declined to say whether a “mild, moderate or severe” force had been applied. “Some people do that [suggest the level of force], I do not,” he told Mr Duguid.
Mr Duguid suggested that an onrushing body could also create the velocity required to sustain the injury. Professor Grieve replied: “Yes, that is right. Absolutely right.”