One of the teens accused of murdering New Addington roofer Billy Ward was bragging about carrying a “shank” for protection, a court heard.

The Old Baily heard how Junior Lubango stood at a bus stop the night of the 21-year-old’s death claiming he knew “how to walk the streets”.

Witness Bianca Matthias described the events of the early hours of December 8 at the Dingwall Road bus stop in Croydon where Lubango, 19, and fellow defendant Starfield Badza, 19, were waiting for the bus.

She told the jury she had been to Crobar with some friends and, as they waited for the N159, a black cab pulled up and out stepped Lubango and a man in a red cap, later identified as Badza.

She said the two boys struck up a conversation with two of her male friends, Perry and Lamont, and they were discussing cage fighting and the upcoming Ricky Hatton fight.

But then she said how Lubango started “bragging” about carrying a knife for protection, and she saw a glimpse of a “dark” knife handle in his waist band.

The two defendants then got on the bus, along with Bianca and her three friends, one of whom, Lamont, started telling people to not smoke on the bus as he had a problem with this.

The court heard how Badza joined in telling people not to smoke.

In her statement to the police taken on December 8, she claimed Badza had threatened passengers, saying “if you smoke you will get bored”, which meant stabbed.

But when under oath in court Miss Matthias could not remember if such threats were made.

She did remember how, as the boys were getting off the bus, a white boy, later identified as Billy Ward, started speaking to the two defendants.

Then Badza, who was making his way off the bus, leapt up the stairs and over the barrier before dragging Mr Ward down the stairs.

Miss Matthias did not see the alleged attack in which Mr Ward was stabbed 10 times through the heart, lung, and abdomen.

Lubango, of Pixton Way, Forestdale, and Badza, from Court Wood Lane, Forestdale, both deny murder.

The trial continues.