Harry, who was 16, was in a crowd gathered to watch the display over the River Thames from the ‘posh’ north London park when he was knifed just yards from police officers during a scuffle with a stranger shortly before midnight.
Another boy, who was 16 at the time and is now 17, denies murder and possessing an offensive weapon. Jurors heard he admits inflicting the fatal blow – but they will have to consider whether it was done in self-defence or by accident.
Opening his trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said: ‘Every year, large numbers of members of the public gather on Primrose Hill to celebrate the turning of the New Year. But last New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2023, revelry turned to tragedy in the blink of an eye.
‘Harry Pitman, aged 16, was stabbed once, to the neck. He died almost immediately, as a result of that single but deadly injury – a single but deadly injury caused by a knife, brought to the scene by the defendant.’
Jurors heard that uniformed police were at the viewing point that night to manage crowds gathered to watch the fireworks and some stood just yards from where Harry was.
Harry and the defendant were ‘complete strangers’ and had gone there with different groups of friends, Ms Ledward said.
At about 11pm, Harry had approached special constable David Smith in high spirits, offered him a cigarette and asked him if he was having a good time.
Mr Smith noted Harry seemed excitable and ‘physically bounced’ up to him but was ‘overall positive in his attitude towards police’, the court was told.
About 20 minutes later, Harry and one of his friends became involved in a row with two other young men but two officers intervened and the victim was said to have tried to calm the situation, jurors heard.
Harry had also engaged in a friendly conversation with Edward Comaromi who had gone to watch the fireworks with family, even insisting on ‘fist bumping’ him and others, Ms Ledward said.
Ms Ledward told jurors the stabbing appeared to have been sparked by a scuffle between the ‘lively and boisterous’ Harry and a friend of the defendant shortly after 11.30pm.
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Harry was said to have been ‘playfighting’ and seeing how high he could kick, causing him to lose his balance and bump into the boy standing behind.
Ms Ledward said: ‘What happened next took place very quickly, over a very short period of time, in fact less than 20 seconds.’
On being pushed from behind, Harry responded: ‘Don’t touch me, because I didn’t touch you’, before someone slapped the back of his head, the court was told.
During the fracas, the defendant’s friend fell on his back, jurors were told.
The ‘fast moving’ events that followed were captured on ‘shocking’ and ‘distressing’ mobile phone footage played in court.
Jurors heard the defendant pushed his way towards Harry, holding his trousers and saying: ‘Wot wot wot wot wot.’
A female voice could be heard to say ‘mindi’ – the Somalian word for knife – as the teen pulled a blade from the waist of his trousers.
Harry swung a punch and the other boy brought his right arm upwards in an arc and down, stabbing the teenager in the neck, the court was told.
The prosecutor told the court the knife sheath was seen to fly through the air over their heads.
Ms Ledward said ‘there is no issue that Harry’s fatal injury was caused by the knife in (the defendant’s) hand’ but added: ‘How and why the sheath came to move in this way at this particular point is likely to be an important issue for you to consider.
‘Harry remains standing, pulls away from [the defendant] who can be seen turning away from Harry.
‘As the camera pans around, you get a glimpse of Harry Pitman standing in the crowd before he is lost from view.
‘He had been fatally stabbed, once to the neck, and within minutes of that he was dead.’
Police body-worn footage showed Harry holding his neck, his white T-shirt covered in blood, as he push through the crowd calling to officers for ‘help’.
Ms Ledward said: ‘He was helped to the ground, and officers immediately began attempts at first aid, but he very quickly lost consciousness.
‘CPR started and continued until the arrival of paramedics.
‘Despite those efforts, the bleeding from the wound to Harry Pitman’s neck had been catastrophic and proved fatal. He was pronounced dead at the scene at just before midnight, at 11.54pm.’
The defendant was allegedly seen holding a hunting knife described as being 15 to 20cm long as he made off.
The youth, now aged 17, who cannot be identified because of his age, denies the charges against him.
The Old Bailey trial continues.
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