A 16-year-old boy lost his life “in an instant” when he was fatally stabbed once in the neck during a busy New Year’s Eve celebration in north London, as reported in court.

Harry Pitman reportedly fell victim to an attack by 18-year-old Areece Lloyd-Hall in front of partygoers who had assembled at Primrose Hill to enjoy fireworks over the River Thames on December 31, 2023.

Areece Lloyd-Hall, from Westminster, faces charges of murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter, both of which he contests.

During the opening of his retrial at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC explained that Harry “died nearly instantly due to that single, lethal injury.”

She remarked, “Each year, large crowds gather on Primrose Hill to ring in the New Year. However, on December 31, 2023, what should have been a festive occasion turned into a tragedy in a matter of seconds.”

Ms. Ledward informed the jury that Harry and Lloyd-Hall were unfamiliar with one another and had come to Primrose Hill with different friend groups.

The tragic event is said to have occurred after Harry inadvertently collided with another boy while engaging in some lighthearted horseplay and showcasing high kicks.

In the midst of this altercation, Harry reportedly said to the boy, “Don’t touch me, I didn’t touch you.”

Jurors were presented with mobile phone footage capturing the events that unfolded within just 20 seconds.

During a struggle between the defendant and the victim, it was noted that Mr. Lloyd-Hall seemingly swung his right hand down onto Harry’s shoulder, leading to the visibility of a glinting knife and the subsequent fatal stab.

Prior to the stabbing, a female voice was heard calling out “mindi,” which means knife in Somali.

After being attacked, Harry managed to make his way through the crowd towards officers nearby, with his T-shirt stained in blood.

Authorities and medical personnel provided immediate assistance, but Ms. Ledward stated that the bleeding from Harry’s neck wound was “catastrophic and ultimately fatal.”

Describing Harry’s mood on the night of the tragedy, Ms. Ledward indicated that he had engaged in conversation with a special constable and pleasantly interacted with another spectator enjoying the fireworks.

Witnesses reported seeing Harry attempting to de-escalate a situation when one of his friends became involved in a dispute, as observed in police body camera footage.

He also had a friendly exchange with another man watching the fireworks, even sharing a “fist bump,” as testified in court.

Mr. Justice Cavanagh informed jurors that the defense’s argument would be that Lloyd-Hall believed the knife was sheathed when he struck Harry, asserting that he acted in self-defense or in defense of others.

The retrial is ongoing.