Boy holding balloon confronts man outside McDonald’s moments before stabbing him to death

CCTV footage shows a balloon-wielding teenager confronting an 18-year-old man moments before stabbing him to death.

Avon and Somerset Police have released the video after the then 15-year-old defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of murdering Ben Moncrieff, 18, in Bath city centre earlier this year.

Moncrieff was stabbed once in the chest on Southgate Street at about 3.30am on Saturday 6 May 2023.

He had been with friends in Bath on a night out in the hours leading up to the fatal incident, before encountering a group of males, including the defendant, who were in possession of balloons and suspected nitrous oxide gas canisters.

CCTV showed a verbal confrontation between the defendant and one of Moncrieff’s friends and jurors were told that when the victim stepped in to protect his friend, a witness heard the defendant telling him to “come around the corner”.

The defendant, from south London, was seen on CCTV dropping a gas canister as Moncrieff approached him, before pulling out the weapon and stabbing the 18-year-old to death.

Despite efforts of people in the area and medics to save his life, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The defendant, who is now 16, was found guilty of murder by a jury at Bristol Crown Court after a six-day trial.