A 15-year-old boy allegedly stabbed by a Newham teenager following a fight outside a Collier Row community centre died from shock caused by blood loss, a court heard.

Forensic pathologist Dr Ben Swift spoke at the Old Bailey, today, December 4, having examined the body of Jordan Douherty two days after he died outside the North Romford Community Centre, on June 23 this year.

A 17-year-old from Newham denies murdering Jordan, while a 17-year-old and another 16-year-old deny conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

All three defendants cannot be named for legal reasons.

Dr Swift described how there were 12 notable injuries on the schoolboy’s body, mainly consisting of bruises and grazes, as well as two stab wounds.

The first of the stab wounds was to the brachiocephalic vein, “a significant blood vessel” which carries blood from the rib cage to the heart.

He then went onto describe the second stab wound which entered the left rib to the breast bone and pierced the heart.

Dr Swift said: “The most significant is the first to the left of the chest which penetrated the main pumping chamber of the heart.

“However, he would have been capable of talking, shouting, walking and perhaps running a short distance.

“Although he would have rapidly collapsed due to the decreasing blood pressure and would have died within minutes.”

Referring to the injury to the vein, he added: “It may not have been as immediate as the stab wound to the left of the chest but in isolation it could have been fatal.”

When asked about any other wounds by prosecutor Duncan Atkinson, Dr Swift said that the 15-year-old sustained no wounds to his knuckles and there was no evidence of any defensive injuries.

He also told the jury that “at least moderate” force was used.

Dr Swift concluded: ‘The cause of death is hypovolemic shock which is the scientific term for massive blood loss and the cause of that is the stab wound to the chest.”

The trial continues.