Teen allegedly told her grandad ‘You can’t ring the police, she’s dead’ after fatally stabbing her 16 year old love rival over a boy

Kayla Smith, 18, allegedly told her grandfather he could not call the police because her 16-year-old love rival, Chloe Watson Dransfield, was dead after a fatal stabbing in Leeds. The detail came out at Leeds Crown Court, as reported by VT, where Smith is on trial over the incident on March 28. She has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder, and she is presumed innocent of that charge unless and until proven guilty in court.

After the stabbing, Smith and Archie Rycroft, 20, allegedly fled back to the home Smith shared with her grandfather, Geoff Smith. When he said he intended to contact the police, Smith allegedly told him, “You can’t ring the police, she’s dead.” An ambulance was reportedly not called until 5:48 AM, and Dransfield was pronounced dead at 6:40 AM.

Rycroft and Blake Dowling, 18, are also charged with murder and manslaughter, which they both deny, and both are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The court heard that the conflict centered on a dispute over Dowling, who had been in relationships with both girls.

The fight was allegedly planned ahead of time

Prosecutors allege that Dowling helped organize the confrontation despite knowing there was significant tension between the two girls. Prosecutor Mark McKone KC said Dowling brought Dransfield to the scene specifically for a fight. Rycroft is accused of encouraging the violence by walking with Smith to the location and trying to record the attack on his phone.

The jury was shown messages exchanged between Smith and Dransfield before the attack, according to The Sun. Smith allegedly threatened to stab Dransfield in the throat during a FaceTime call, and Dransfield reportedly responded by challenging the threat. About 34 minutes before the attack, Smith allegedly messaged a cousin, “I’m stabbing her, on my nana’s ashes.” About 17 minutes later, she allegedly told the cousin that Dransfield was approaching.

CCTV footage captured Smith leaving her home at about 5:10 AM, appearing to wear pajamas and holding a shiny object. Prosecutors claim that as she neared Dransfield, she shouted, “Come on then, I will stab you,” while a male voice was heard laughing in the background. Dransfield suffered five wounds to her back and neck.

Prosecutors also alleged that when officers arrived to arrest Smith and Rycroft, the pair were laughing and joking with friends while inhaling nitrous oxide. McKone told the jury the prosecution views the incident as a pre-planned fight in which Smith inflicted all the blows.

The defendants have given different accounts of their involvement. Smith accepts that she stabbed Dransfield and caused the fatal wound, but she denies intending to kill her or cause really serious harm. Dowling denies knowing that Dransfield would suffer serious harm, while Rycroft says he followed Smith out of curiosity and did not know she was carrying a knife.