A 16-year-old Suffolk schoolboy, accused of fatally stabbing his former girlfriend’s new partner, allegedly told a friend that he knew “how long he would get for murder", a court has heard.

The alleged conversation took place in a classroom in January a few days before the 16-year-old allegedly murdered Harley Barfield in a car park near Strasbourg Square.

In pre-recorded evidence played at Ipswich Crown Court, the witness said the remark had “come out of the blue” and although he was surprised at what the boy said he hadn’t thought anything of it at the time.

The 16-year-old defendant, who can’t be named because of his age, has denied murdering Harley in January this year but has admitted manslaughter and possessing the knife used to kill him.

It has been alleged that he armed himself with a kitchen knife and lay in wait for 16-year-old Harley, who was going out with his former girlfriend, before confronting him in a “jealous rage” and trying to goad him into a fight.

Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting, said the defendant and Harley, who she described as being in a “love triangle” had thrown punches at each other before the 16-year-old took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Harley several times in a “frenzied” attack.

After the incident the 16-year-old had run from the scene and had disposed of the knife.

Harley was airlifted to hospital where despite the efforts of doctors, he died two days after the stabbing on January 11.

Miss Karmy-Jones alleged that the defendant was so obsessed with his ex girlfriend and jealous of her relationship with Harley that he murdered for her.

She said the defendant had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and his defence was that his ASD diminished his responsibility for killing Harley.

The trial continues.