Teen charged with murder claims he acted for ex-girlfriend in Melbourne stabbing
A 15-year-old who pleaded not guilty to murder is on trial for the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Oscar Hamilton at a Melbourne shopping centre, with prosecutors saying an unproven assault claim motivated the attack.
In a Victoria Supreme Court hearing, a 15-year-old defendant faces a murder charge for the September 2024 killing of 16-year-old Oscar Hamilton at Melbourne's Woodgrove Shopping Centre. The prosecution, led by Erin Ramsay, presented video of the assault and contended that the teen was driven by an unverified claim from a former girlfriend that Hamilton had sexually assaulted her. The boy, who pleaded not guilty to murder but admitted manslaughter, told police he acted "for her" and later expressed frustration when she did not respond to his calls.
Defence counsel Richard Edney urged the jury to consider the defendant's youth and to focus solely on whether he intended to kill. The court will hear testimony from Hamilton's friends, police, and medical experts before reaching a verdict.
Why it matters
The case highlights how teenage violence and alleged personal motives are handled in the legal system.
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