Teen accused of murdering student Luke O'Connor reacted 'violently' to 'lighthearted' comment made by friend, jury hears

The man accused of fatally stabbing university student Luke O'Connor in Fallowfield reacted 'unpredictably and violently' to a 'lighthearted' comment made by Luke's friend asking if he could perform a 'kick flick' on his skateboard, a jury has heard.

Shiloh George Pottinger, 19, is charged with the murder of the Manchester Metropolitan University student on Wilmslow Road in October last year. He previously pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article, but denies the charge of murder.

Luke was was treated at the scene outside the New Zealand Wines convenience store in the early hours of October 26, found with eight 'substantive' stab wounds, a jury at Manchester Crown Court has heard. He was rushed to hospital, where he was sadly pronounced dead after going into cardiac arrest.

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Opening the case for the prosecution, Mr Mark Ford KC said Luke was walking home from a party with friends Charlie Richardson and Daisy Wood, when Mr Richardson made a 'silly, lighthearted' comment as he passed Pottinger, asking him if he could perform a 'kick flick' on the skateboard he was holding.

The jury was shown CCTV footage from the night of the incident, where prosectors say Mr Pottinger can be seen 'smiling' as he turned towards Luke following Mr Richardson's comment, pulling out a 13-inch mafia stiletto knife, and 'holding it in front of Mr O'Connor's face'.

Prosecutors allege Mr Pottinger pushed Luke, before putting the knife back into his pocket as Luke then pushed Mr Pottinger - who reacted by striking Luke over the head with his skateboard, the jury was told as the footage was played.

As Mr Pottinger went to strike Luke for the second time with his