Concerns had been raised about a 16-year-old Suffolk schoolboy’s mental health in the months before he fatally stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend, a court has heard.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court was told that the boy’s parents were worried about him having suicidal thoughts and he had referred to an emotional wellbeing hub for a mental health assessment.

The court heard he had also been assessed to see if he was autistic but although he was found to have significant autistic traits he hadn’t met "diagnostic requirements” at that stage, the court heard.

Following that assessment, the school had treated him as if he was autistic and made compromises about his behaviour and placed him on an additional needs register.

The court heard that the boy had a background of bad behaviour at school towards pupils and staff which had resulted in detention, suspension and exclusion.

The bad behaviour included rudeness, poor attitude, shoulder barging and squaring up to other pupils, punching male and female pupils and generally wanting to be seen as a “tough guy”.

He had also been the victim of several assaults including one which resulted in him suffering concussion and amnesia after being punched, kicked and stamped on by three youths.

Following the break up of his relationship with his girlfriend he had self-harmed and had carved the girl’s name on his arm and had also posed with a knife in a photo.

The defendant, who can’t be named because of his age, has denied murdering 16-year-old Harley Barfield in January this year but has admitted manslaughter and possessing the knife used to kill him.

It has been alleged that he armed himself with a kitchen knife and lay in wait for Harley, who was going out with his former girlfriend, before confronting him in a “jealous rage” and trying to goad him into a fight.

Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting, said the defendant and Harley, who she described as being in a “love triangle”, had thrown punches at each other before the 16-year-old took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Harley several times in a “frenzied” attack.

After the incident the 16-year-old had run from the scene and had disposed of the knife.

Harley was airlifted to hospital where despite the efforts of doctors, he died two days after the stabbing on January 11 as a result of a fatal wound to his heart.

Miss Karmy-Jones alleged that the defendant was so obsessed with his ex girlfriend and jealous of her relationship with Harley that he murdered for her.

She said the defendant accepted stabbing Harley but claimed his autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had diminished his responsibility for his death.

The court heard that Harley had also had behavioural issues at school and had been permanently excluded  from a school in 2022 and sent to another school.

The trial continues.