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Kayla Smith, 18, texted a friend stating "She's on her way I'm stabbing her" before asking 16-year-old Chloe Watson Dransfield "Are you scared?" in a series of messages and voice notes exchanged in the hours before the fatal stabbing, the jury at Leeds Crown Court has heard. The evidence emerged on the fourth day of the trial of Blake Dowling, 18, and Archie Rycroft, 20, who both deny murder and manslaughter. Smith pleaded guilty to murder on Thursday, 12 November 2026. Daily Dazzling Dawn understands the court was taken through a detailed timeline of mobile phone and cell site evidence and CCTV footage compiled by analyst Joshua Gladwin, with no dispute in the case as to phone attributions.
The jury heard that at 4.27am on Saturday, 28 March 2026, a message from Kayla Smith to Chloe was sent which read: "Come catch this fade b**." Chloe responded: "ok sweet cheeks."
Smith then sent voice messages to Chloe in which she said: "I thought you was getting a taxi...Make your mind up are you getting a taxi or not? Your fella's saying you're getting a taxi one minute you're not...You're scared, just admit it you're scared."
Chloe sent voice messages back saying: "You're a strange sausage mate, are you alright in your brain you?" and "Said you were coming to Zoey's I will wait here, they're still getting a taxi to you...It doesn't change anything, you getting a taxi to Zoey's I will go out and have you a fight."
The court heard Smith text a friend stating: "She's on her way I'm stabbing her" before asking Chloe: "Are you scared?"
The court was shown a video of Smith from inside a vehicle shouting at a camera: "Do you think we care? Do you think we care about you?"
Messages Between Male at Scene and Female
The jury heard messages sent between a male with Smith and a female read: "I'll definitely get you a video of it, it's funny don't worry about that." The female later replied: "Tell Kayla she best win as well, I don't want no video of no dead fight as well." Another message between the pair showed the male telling her: "A girl pulled tools."
After the stabbing, footage captured Blake Dowling and the friend who had arrived with him and Chloe going down the driveway at the side of Smith's property. The male was seen on footage jumping over a fence saying "Oi yo, Archie." A male later could be heard saying: "She wasn't joking was she?"
On footage, Smith could be heard telling her grandfather: "The girl outside...No I haven't killed her...No you can't ring the police she's dead." Geoffrey Smith called the ambulance at 5.48am, telling the call handler he had opened his blinds and saw a "female lying in the road."
Mr Dowling and two other males were seen getting into a taxi at 5.55am before going through a McDonald's drive-thru.
Forensic scientist Kate Steer told the court Chloe's clothes were "extensively bloodstained" and said there was a 4.2cm cut to the back of her top. She examined a knife recovered from Smith's property, described as having a "clear cutting edge rather than a serrated edge with a pointed tip." The knife had no hair, blood, skin or fibres, but she said this could be because the knife had been cleaned or had not been used in the stabbing. She added the knife could have been used in terms of Chloe's clothing and her injuries.
DNA matching both Smith's and Chloe's profiles were found on Smith's pyjamas, including blood spots and a drip from Chloe's blood.
Pathologist Dr Robert Ainsworth gave evidence and gave Chloe's cause of death as a stab wound which passed through her chest cavity and caused her lung to collapse.
Trial Continues
The trial continues before Mr Justice Cavanagh KC. Blake Dowling and Archie Rycroft both deny murder and manslaughter. Neither has been convicted of any offence. Kayla Smith remains in custody and will be sentenced following the conclusion of proceedings against her co-defendants.
Daily Dazzling Dawn notes that public commentary surrounding this case has included unverified allegations circulating on social media. These specific claims have not been verified in court proceedings and Daily Dazzling Dawn has not independently confirmed them.
Tags: Chloe Watson Dransfield, Kayla Smith, Blake Dowling, Archie Rycroft, Leeds Crown Court murder trial, "I'm stabbing her" text, voice notes evidence, Joshua Gladwin timeline, Kennerleigh Avenue Austhorpe, UK court news, Daily Dazzling Dawn
Hashtags: #DailyDazzlingDawn #ChloeWatson #KaylaSmith #BlakeDowling #JusticeForChloe
Caption: Kayla Smith sent messages and voice notes to Chloe Watson before the fatal stabbing, Leeds Crown Court heard.
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