A 16-year-old boy is on trial accused of murdering nine-year-old Aria Thorpe. The court hears that Aria died after sustaining a knife wound to her chest at her home in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset. In his evidence, the defendant says he was “trying to scare” the girl and that he aimed to frighten her rather than harm her seriously. The trial focuses on the circumstances leading to the stabbing and the boy’s account of his intentions. Prosecutors allege that the defendant’s actions amount to murder, while the defence’s presentation of his intent is intended to challenge that characterization of what happened. The hearing considers how the fatal injury was caused and what the 16-year-old believed at the time. Further details about the sequence of events, including what was said or done before the stabbing, are addressed through evidence presented to the court.