
Teenager ‘grinned' before stabbing man in heart with Rambo knife, trial told
The defendant, now aged 18, sat in the dock on Tuesday wearing glasses, a black jacket and white shirt while Adrian Langdale KC opened the prosecution case.
Mr Langdale told the jury of seven women and five men: 'On December 28 2024 you will have been getting over Christmas and preparing for the new year – Charles Hartle was going out on the streets armed with a knife.
'He moved towards Noah, he grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest.
'There is no dispute that this lethal weapon was in the hands of that young man Charlie Hartle.
'Noah Smedley, the Crown will say, did absolutely nothing wrong, he did nothing to deserve what happened to him. He wasn't himself armed… he did not offer any violence.
'The Crown will say it was an utterly pointless killing other than this defendant's unhealthy interest with knives and the fact he was, the Crown will say, a habitual carrier of knives.
'You will hear that the defendant was planning on meeting up with three of his friends who would later witness, and be feet away from, the murder.'
The court was told that Hartle and his friends arranged to meet Mr Smedley who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis before the fatal attack.
Mr Langdale continued: 'It was agreed to meet him at a bus stop on Heanor Road, Ilkeston, and so the defendant and his three mates are captured on CCTV shortly after 8pm going to meet the deceased.
'This defendant deliberately hangs back at the back of the group, whilst the others are chatting with Noah and he gives them the cannabis.
'All seemingly, in these matters of seconds, are in good spirits – there is no animosity.
'This defendant will pull his balaclava down over his face, he moves forward in the group to get closer to Noah and reaches into the back of his tracksuit.
'Hartle immediately takes one stride forward and in the same motion thrusts the knife forward and through Noah's heart.'
The jury heard that Hartle and his friends ran from the scene leaving Mr Smedley 'staggering and bleeding profusely'.
The knife penetrated the right ventricle of Mr Smedley's heart and his left lung causing internal bleeding and his lung to collapse, the prosecutor said.
Mr Langdale told the court: 'The defendant raises the idea of self-defence claiming to the police he had recently been threatened by others with knives. As a result of that he decided to take this knife out.
'The Crown say this is an entirely false account, instead it was the defendant who routinely carried a Rambo knife… and did so for the kudos and bravado.'
The prosecutor said Hartle carried the weapon to show others he was a 'big man'.
Jurors heard the defendant, of Station Road in Stanley, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place but denies murder.
CCTV of the group was shown to the jury, including the moment Mr Smedley was fatally stabbed with a knife described to be 'eight to nine inches' long.
Hartle allegedly 'cleaned himself up' and disposed of his balaclava, knife and phone before his father drove him to Ilkeston Police Station, the court heard.
The jury was told that in a prepared statement given to police, Hartle said: 'Firstly, I accept responsibility for inflicting the injury on Noah Smedley.
'There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on. He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence.
'I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me. In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence.'
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.

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North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Teenager with ‘unhealthy interest' in knives guilty of 18-year-old's murder
Charles Hartle, who was 17 at the time, carried out the 'utterly pointless killing' when he attacked Noah Smedley on a dark street in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year, with the knife he kept hidden in his tracksuit bottoms. Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, was found guilty of murdering Mr Smedley on Friday, after a two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, Derbyshire Police said. Prosecution counsel Adrian Langdale KC said that as Hartle moved towards Mr Smedley, he 'grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest'. The court was told that Hartle and his friends had arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis. Mr Langdale said the defendant regularly carried a Rambo-style knife for 'the kudos and bravado' and to show others he was a 'big man'. Derbyshire Police said Hartle, who liked to go by the nickname Lil Cee, went to meet his girlfriend at a house party after stabbing Mr Smedley in the heart. Witnesses at the party reportedly saw him confess to her what he had done and produce the knife, which has never been recovered. Hartle then travelled to Derby city centre to distance himself from the scene, where Mr Smedley had been found by members of the public at about 8.20pm. He was pronounced dead just before 9pm. In the hours after the murder, Hartle disposed of his clothing, the knife, and his phone, before eventually handing himself in at Ilkeston police station. In a prepared statement given to police, Hartle said he accepted inflicting the injury on Mr Smedley but felt he had acted in self-defence. He said: 'There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on. He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence. 'I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me. In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence.' Detective Constable Emma Barnes-Marriott, of Derbyshire Police, said: 'Noah was an unarmed teenager, who was simply meeting with friends on the night Charles Hartle decided to end his life. 'Noah did not threaten Hartle and showed nothing but friendliness towards him that evening, and yet he was brutally murdered. 'Charles Hartle is a callous and calculating young man, who has shown no recognition or remorse for taking another teenager's life. 'He carried a knife with the intention to use it, over what appears to be a petty disagreement that only he was aware of, and a sense of bravado. 'I'd like to thank Noah's family for their support during our investigation and the trial. 'No family should have to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one, especially at such a young age, and to have to relive their last moments at trial is an additional blow that Hartle could have spared them from. 'Instead, despite overwhelming evidence, he remained silent and refused to take responsibility for Noah's murder. 'I know that nothing will bring Noah back but hope that today's verdict has provided his family with some comfort that justice has been done.' Hartle will be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on August 22.


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Teenager with ‘unhealthy interest' in knives guilty of 18-year-old's murder
Charles Hartle, who was 17 at the time, carried out the 'utterly pointless killing' when he attacked Noah Smedley on a dark street in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year, with the knife he kept hidden in his tracksuit bottoms. Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, was found guilty of murdering Mr Smedley on Friday, after a two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, Derbyshire Police said. Prosecution counsel Adrian Langdale KC said that as Hartle moved towards Mr Smedley, he 'grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest'. The court was told that Hartle and his friends had arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis. Mr Langdale said the defendant regularly carried a Rambo-style knife for 'the kudos and bravado' and to show others he was a 'big man'. Derbyshire Police said Hartle, who liked to go by the nickname Lil Cee, went to meet his girlfriend at a house party after stabbing Mr Smedley in the heart. Witnesses at the party reportedly saw him confess to her what he had done and produce the knife, which has never been recovered. Hartle then travelled to Derby city centre to distance himself from the scene, where Mr Smedley had been found by members of the public at about 8.20pm. He was pronounced dead just before 9pm. In the hours after the murder, Hartle disposed of his clothing, the knife, and his phone, before eventually handing himself in at Ilkeston police station. In a prepared statement given to police, Hartle said he accepted inflicting the injury on Mr Smedley but felt he had acted in self-defence. He said: 'There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on. He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence. 'I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me. In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence.' Detective Constable Emma Barnes-Marriott, of Derbyshire Police, said: 'Noah was an unarmed teenager, who was simply meeting with friends on the night Charles Hartle decided to end his life. 'Noah did not threaten Hartle and showed nothing but friendliness towards him that evening, and yet he was brutally murdered. 'Charles Hartle is a callous and calculating young man, who has shown no recognition or remorse for taking another teenager's life. 'He carried a knife with the intention to use it, over what appears to be a petty disagreement that only he was aware of, and a sense of bravado. 'I'd like to thank Noah's family for their support during our investigation and the trial. 'No family should have to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one, especially at such a young age, and to have to relive their last moments at trial is an additional blow that Hartle could have spared them from. 'Instead, despite overwhelming evidence, he remained silent and refused to take responsibility for Noah's murder. 'I know that nothing will bring Noah back but hope that today's verdict has provided his family with some comfort that justice has been done.' Hartle will be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on August 22.

Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Teenager with ‘unhealthy interest' in knives guilty of 18-year-old's murder
Charles Hartle, who was 17 at the time, carried out the 'utterly pointless killing' when he attacked Noah Smedley on a dark street in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on the evening of December 28 last year, with the knife he kept hidden in his tracksuit bottoms. Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, was found guilty of murdering Mr Smedley on Friday, after a two-week trial at Derby Crown Court, Derbyshire Police said. Prosecution counsel Adrian Langdale KC said that as Hartle moved towards Mr Smedley, he 'grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing him in the chest'. The court was told that Hartle and his friends had arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis. Mr Langdale said the defendant regularly carried a Rambo-style knife for 'the kudos and bravado' and to show others he was a 'big man'. Derbyshire Police said Hartle, who liked to go by the nickname Lil Cee, went to meet his girlfriend at a house party after stabbing Mr Smedley in the heart. Witnesses at the party reportedly saw him confess to her what he had done and produce the knife, which has never been recovered. Hartle then travelled to Derby city centre to distance himself from the scene, where Mr Smedley had been found by members of the public at about 8.20pm. He was pronounced dead just before 9pm. In the hours after the murder, Hartle disposed of his clothing, the knife, and his phone, before eventually handing himself in at Ilkeston police station. In a prepared statement given to police, Hartle said he accepted inflicting the injury on Mr Smedley but felt he had acted in self-defence. He said: 'There is a history to this, and Noah and I did not get on. He has, in the past, made numerous threats to me and made disparaging comments. He has threatened me with violence. 'I was petrified that he was about to lunge at me. In that split second, I instinctively lashed out with the knife I had, in self-defence.' Detective Constable Emma Barnes-Marriott, of Derbyshire Police, said: 'Noah was an unarmed teenager, who was simply meeting with friends on the night Charles Hartle decided to end his life. 'Noah did not threaten Hartle and showed nothing but friendliness towards him that evening, and yet he was brutally murdered. 'Charles Hartle is a callous and calculating young man, who has shown no recognition or remorse for taking another teenager's life. 'He carried a knife with the intention to use it, over what appears to be a petty disagreement that only he was aware of, and a sense of bravado. 'I'd like to thank Noah's family for their support during our investigation and the trial. 'No family should have to go through the ordeal of losing a loved one, especially at such a young age, and to have to relive their last moments at trial is an additional blow that Hartle could have spared them from. 'Instead, despite overwhelming evidence, he remained silent and refused to take responsibility for Noah's murder. 'I know that nothing will bring Noah back but hope that today's verdict has provided his family with some comfort that justice has been done.' Hartle will be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on August 22.