Two teenagers on trial for murder of 15-year-old Amen Teklay

Two teenagers have gone on trial accused of murdering a 15-year-old boy in Glasgow.

The pair, now aged 16 and 17, are alleged to have attacked Amen Teklay in the St George's Cross area of the city on 5 March 2025.

Prosecutors at the High Court in Glasgow claim the boys - who cannot be identified due to their age - brandished a sword and frying pan at Amen while both masked.

It is alleged they chased and struck him with a sword, leaving him so severely hurt that he died on Clarendon Street. The two teenagers have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Amen lived in Glasgow with his father, but was originally from Eritrea.

The killing is said to have occurred after earlier incidents involving the 16-year-old and Amen.

Prosecutors allege the teenager teamed up with two other named boys to attack Amen on the city's Great Western Road on 12 February 2025.

The charge includes claims he was repeatedly punched and kicked on the head and body.

A further accusation states the 16-year-old was "threatening and abusive" to Amen three days before the alleged murder by brandishing a sword and metal barrier at him as well as shouting and swearing at him.

The 16-year-old accused also faces an allegation of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

It is claimed he dumped tracksuit bottoms he had been wearing in a garden in St George's Cross.

He also allegedly got rid of a bloodstained top at a close in the city's Charing Cross.

The boy is further said to have disposed of the sword.

The indictment states this was all done in a bid to avoid "detection, arrest and prosecution" for the alleged murder.

Proceedings began with the reading of the 16-year-old's special defence of self-defence for the murder charge.

It stated: "The 16-year-old was attacked by Amen Teklay who was armed with a bladed weapon and in defence of his co-accused who was under attack from Amen Teklay."

Jurors were shown mobile footage near Chilo's restaurant on Great Western Road in the city's Hyndland from 2 February 2025.

Amen appeared to be attacked by three youths which included the 16-year-old boy.

Shouts of "Leave him alone" and "phone the police" could be heard.

In CCTV and mobile footage from 20:40 that night outside the Lismore Bar, a further "confrontation" between Amen and the 16-year-old as well as other youths was shown.

In describing the footage, prosecutor Adrian Stalker said: "It looks like they are circling around the bus stop, it appears they both have weapons out, these weapons look like large knives and a machete."

Another youth was seen to run after the pair before he returned to the scene to collect an electric scooter.

In footage from later that night, Amen was seen "chasing" the 16-year-old near his home.

Other CCTV images showed the 16-year-old entering and exiting his flat with an electric scooter.

On the day of Amen's death, Stalker said the teenage boy took "something" from a post box near the front door.

A joint minute of agreed evidence was earlier read to jurors which stated Amen received emergency medical treatment on the pavement outside 22 Clarendon Street. He was pronounced dead at 22:48.

The document also stated 16-year-old was arrested on the night of 7 March 2025. The 17-year-old was arrested later on 22 March 2025.

The 16-year-old was medically examined on 8 March 2025 and no injuries were found.

A urine examination of Amen's body returned a negative result for drugs and alcohol.

A knife was recovered from Clarendon Street which was described as a "black and grey zombie-style knife".

Under Amen's body, a green knife sheath was found and seized by police. A frying pan was recovered from a bin on St George's Road.

The trial - which is expected to run until July - continues.