The jury in the trial of a 16-year-old Suffolk schoolboy accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend has retired to consider its verdict.

The defendant, who can’t be named because of his age, has denied murdering 16-year-old  Harley Barfield but has admitted manslaughter and possessing the knife used to kill him.

It has been alleged that he armed himself with a kitchen knife and lay in wait for Harley, who was going out with his former girlfriend, before confronting him in a “jealous rage” and trying to goad him into a fight near Strasbourg Square in Haverhill in January this year.

Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting said the defendant and Harley, who she described as being in a “love triangle” had thrown punches at each other before the 16-year-old took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Harley several times in a “frenzied” attack.

After the incident, the 16-year-old had run from the scene and had disposed of the knife.

Harley was airlifted to hospital where despite the efforts of doctors, he died two days after the stabbing on January 11 as a result of a fatal wound to his heart.

Miss Karmy-Jones alleged that the defendant was so obsessed with his ex-girlfriend and jealous of her relationship with Harley that he murdered for her.

Stephen Rose KC for the defendant has accepted that he did stab the victim using a knife from his own kitchen and did flee the scene.

But he denied the defendant was lying in wait for Harley and said he was "surprised" to see him that day.

Mr Rose said the defendant had autistic spectrum disorder and claimed that this mental condition affected his thinking and behaviour in "a way that ultimately should reduce his level of responsibility" for the killing.

The trial started last month.