Girl denies blame for fall death

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/8353413.stm

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A girl has denied bullying a teenager until she jumped to her death from a window.

The girl admitted she had punched and slapped Rosimeiri Boxall, 19, but said they had apologised to each other before Ms Boxall jumped to her death.

The accused, who was 13 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, and Kemi Ajose, 19, both deny manslaughter.

The girl denied shouting: "She's escaped" after Ms Boxall jumped, and denied trying to run away afterwards.

She also denied swearing at the teenager as she lay dying outside Ms Ajose's flat in Blackheath, south-east London, in May last year.

The prosecution allege that the girl and Ms Ajose abused Ms Boxall so much that she died trying to escape.

This is pure invention. This has been one lie after another Malcolm Bishop QC

Under cross-examination by Malcolm Bishop QC, who is representing Ms Ajose at the Old Bailey trial, the girl denied lying.

She had said Ms Ajose had threatened to pour bleach into Ms Boxall's mouth and she herself had stopped her.

Mr Bishop said: "This is pure invention. This has been one lie after another."

She said: "That is what you're suggesting."

Mr Bishop said: "The jury will decide if you're lying."

"Yes they will," said the girl.

Ms Boxall, who was born in Brazil, was adopted by an Anglican missionary, the Reverend Simon Boxall, and his wife Rachel, who found her in a children's home where she had been abandoned by her alcoholic mother.

The family returned to the UK in 2005 and settled in Thamesmead, south-east London.

The trial continues.