Jury views footage of fatal stabbing at Woodgrove Shopping Centre

A jury in Victoria's Supreme Court has watched footage of the moment a shopping centre fight between two boys turned deadly, resulting in one being stabbed to death.

The killer, who was 15 at the time, faced the jury today and pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Oscar Hamilton, 16.

The boy remains on trial after pleading not guilty to murder on the basis that he did not intend to kill or seriously hurt Oscar.

Prosecutor Erin Ramsay said Oscar was hanging out with his girlfriend and two other children at the Woodgrove Shopping Centre in Melton West on September 24, 2024.

The accused approached the group in an outdoor dining area and grabbed Oscar by the collar, before assaulting him and stabbing him three times in quick succession.

"The third stab wound went right into Oscar's heart and killed him," Ms Ramsay said.

"Manslaughter is insufficient in the circumstances of this case."

Members of Oscar's family were in tears as footage of the attack was played to the court. Metres away, the killer, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, sat in the court dock.

Ms Ramsay said the killer had been told by his ex-girlfriend, who he had only dated for a week, that Oscar had sexually assaulted her.

Ms Ramsay said Oscar's friends would testify that Oscar denied doing anything wrong.

The unproven sexual assault allegation was the motive for the murder, the prosecutor said.

The jury was told it was not their role to determine whether the allegation was true.

Ms Ramsay said the killer called his ex-girlfriend shortly after the stabbing and said, "I stabbed him, Oscar. I didn't mean to do it."

Ms Ramsay said the teenager was "infatuated" with the girl and later called his mum from youth detention, saying he hoped the girl would marry him.

When she failed to get in touch, he was recorded saying, "I came in here for nothing. She's a bitch."

"I only did it for her," he allegedly said.

"Even if that guy didn't touch her, I still would have done it."

Defence barrister Richard Edney said the key issue for the jury was whether the boy intended to kill Oscar.

"He was 15 years of age at the time of this incident. That will be a matter you can consider," he said.

"It's desperately sad and tragic. A 16-year-old has passed. A 15-year-old boy at the time has been charged with murder.

"It's really important in a case like this, where you are judges of the facts, not to let emotion or sympathy guide your decision-making."

Witnesses in the trial will include Oscar's friends at the scene and teenagers, along with police and medical experts.

The trial continues.