A 16-year-old boy punched and kicked Laa Chol and held her as she was fatally stabbed at a Melbourne apartment party, a court has been told.
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The boy faced a children's court on Wednesday when prosecutors sought charges of assault and being an accessory after the fact of murder be heard by the Supreme Court, where maximum penalties are significantly tougher.
A 17-year-old Sunshine North boy has been charged with Ms Chol's murder at an A'Beckett Street short-stay apartment complex on July 21 this year.
His case will automatically go to the Supreme Court, and prosecutors say holding the two cases together would reduce resources and save Ms Chol's family the trauma of two trials.
In hearing submissions the magistrate watched CCTV footage of the alleged assault and the moment Ms Chol, 19, was stabbed, as well as footage of both boys immediately after.
"This accused is seen punching and kicking the victim," the prosecutor told the court of the footage.
"The co-accused can then be seen pull a knife from his pocket and stab the victim once to the chest area."
The 16-year-old was holding Ms Chol when the 17-year-old stabbed her, it is alleged.
Both teens are expected to plead not guilty.
It's alleged Ms Chol returned inside the apartment the group had rented, collapsed and later died.
Prosecutors claim further footage shows the teen boys get into a lift, the older boy put his fingers to his lips in a silencing motion and the younger boy respond with a "give it to me" gesture.
It's argued the 17-year-old handed the younger boy a knife and that the 16-year-old secreted it in a satchel and later disposed of it.
The knife has never been found.
The 16-year-old's lawyer said there was clearly a fight between his client and Ms Chol, but questioned whether the boy knew Ms Chol has been stabbed or suffered any life-threatening injuries.
He said given the CCTV footage it was "not a complex matter", disputing the prosecution's argument about the need for extra resources if the cases were held separately.
The lawyer also said children's court should not be troubled by restrictions on the maximum penalty it could hand down if the teen was convicted.
Four years in prison is the maximum sentence available to a magistrate, while a Supreme Court Justice could impose a sentence of up to 20 years.
The magistrate has reserved her decision until November 1, pending further submissions from the teen's lawyer.
Australian Associated Press
