Girl stabbed in 'clash over man'

Sian Simpson died of massive internal bleeding

A teenager was stabbed through the heart when two groups of girls clashed over the "attentions of a young man", the Old Bailey has heard.

Sian Simpson, 17, who was attacked in Mann Close, Croydon, south London, died within an hour of the incident on 19 June last year.

Chelsea Bennett, 18, of London Road, Croydon, denies murder and said she stabbed the girl in self-defence.

Jurors heard the row was over the father of Sian's cousin's child.

Brian Altman, QC, for prosecution said when the police arrived they found several "young girls", crowding around a car, "screaming and shouting" and Sian was "lying on her right hand side on the pavement in a pool of water".

"The knife that killed her passed through her lung and entered the heart causing shock and massive internal bleeding. Nothing could be done to save her.

"Her death by stabbing was the culmination of an afternoon and evening of an escalating fight between two groups of young females, all apparently over the attentions of a young man."

'Settle the score'

The man was Nathan Davidson, father of Sian's cousin Chantelle Campbell's child.

The court heard that the fight was over Mr Davidson going to visit his son, as he was expecting a child with Miss Bennett's friend Daniele Cooke.

Mr Altman said the killer resorted to a knife "to settle the score, with one fatal outcome".

Miss Bennett said it was the victim who had a knife and as they fell to the ground during the fight she picked up the knife which had fallen to the floor and stabbed Sian in self-defence.

The accused also left a threatening voice message on Mr Davidson's phone.

The trial continues.