A young witness has described watching his companion receive a fatal wound in front of him following a dispute involving a small sum related to narcotics.

Proceedings are underway at Hove Crown Court against a 16-year-old male, whose identity is protected by law, who faces allegations of murdering Joshua Ingram at Seaford railway station on September 10, 2025.

He has entered a guilty plea to a secondary count of manslaughter.

He additionally stands accused alongside two males aged 17 and 15 of jointly planning to inflict grievous bodily harm with intention.

The 15-year-old faces separate charges of helping a criminal, to which the 17-year-old has admitted guilt.

The companion, also granted anonymity, informed the jury about the fatal stabbing of Joshua Ingram by another 16-year-old on the station platform while they were heading back to their homes.

Prosecutors stated the attacker thrust a 19-centimetre weapon at Joshua without speaking.

The companion, who was returning from college alongside Joshua, gave evidence to the jury in Hove that there was no verbal warning before the assault occurred.

He indicated that the attacker touched him on the shoulder before suddenly lunging towards Josh.

The attacker drew the knife in full view, removing it from his right side, before thrusting it at Josh on the platform.

The witness mentioned all three youths had known each other since their secondary school days.

The amount involved was merely £20.

The witness expressed surprise that the attacker had not demanded the money first.

The attacker moved towards him and thrust the weapon at Josh.

When he moved forward, I spotted what was happening and shouted Josh’s name, and he turned around.

If it hadn’t been Josh, he would simply have stabbed an uninvolved person.

He didn’t even verify it was Josh before acting.

By the time he turned around, he had already been stabbed.

He walked a few steps before collapsing.

I had called out to him to come to me.

Josh was telling someone to grip the wound tightly.

He then simply fell.

He showed no hesitation at all.

His expression remained completely composed.

He didn’t appear to harbour any hostile feelings.

He seemed very tranquil and ordinary, and then he carried out the attack.

The distance was minimal, he approached directly and the blade went straight in.

The companion reported hearing Joshua Ingram’s final spoken words.

Joshua’s last request was to contact his girlfriend.

I believe he may have used offensive language towards him after the stabbing.

I’m uncertain.

I was completely paralysed with shock.

I don’t think Josh was even aware of what was unfolding.

Giving evidence from behind screens at the Crown Court in Hove, the companion acknowledged uncertainty about whether the defendant had used abusive language towards Joshua Ingram following the stabbing.

He verified that he had responded with ‘Yeah’ when touched on the shoulder by the defendant.

Colin Aylott KC representing the defence sought confirmation of a transcript captured by police body cameras.

The defendant approached from behind and asked if that was Josh, and I replied ‘Yeah’.

Do you now agree that was your statement?

Yeah, the companion confirmed.

The relatives of Joshua Ingram, who reside in Newhaven, remembered him as a lively and popular young man whose life ended far too prematurely.

The 16-year-old defendant denies the murder charge and the count of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intention.

Two other males aged 15 and 17 deny the conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intention charge.

One of these additional males denies assisting an offender.

The case at Lewes Crown Court in Hove is ongoing.