James Cutting

James Cutting was stabbed in Boscombe Chine Gardens, Bournemouth on 30 June 2020.

A 16-year-old youth was tried for his murder but acquitted after claiming that he had acted in self-defence.

James Cutting and a friend had gone to Boscombe Chine Gardens to buy drugs and it was said that whilst there that they had got into an altercation with the 16-year-old during which the 16-year-old stabbed them both, killing James Cutting and resulting in the other man requiring hospital treatment.

The 16-year-old said that he had been set upon by James Cutting and his friend.

Seven people were arrested following his death, three of them being from London and being suspected of being involved in selling drugs.

A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder at the time but released with no further action. He had been treated at hospital for a wound to his neck.

Another 20-year-old man from London was also arrested on suspicion of murder but released with no further action.

The four other people were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and two of them with being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.

The 16-year-old and his 19-year-old friend both claimed that they had been exploited by a county lines drugs gang.