Guilty: The hoodie gang that stabbed boy, 14, to death at 'initiation ritual' | London Evening Standard
News Guilty: The hoodie gang that stabbed boy, 14, to death at 'initiation ritual'
A gang of teenage hoodies have been found guilty of knifing a 14-year-old boy to death in a "senseless" attack believed to be some kind of initiation ritual. Paul Erhahon, 14, was stabbed in the heart with a 7in sword after being set upon by a 17-strong group in the foyer of a block of flats.
Three boys were today convicted of his murder and another two for his manslaughter following a three-month Old Bailey trial.
The jury had heard how members of the group who were as young as 13 had been urged on by the others and encouraged to kill in order to "earn their spurs". Scroll down for more... Paul Erhahon died from a single 7in stab wound to the heart after he was attacked by a gang of hoodie teenagers on Good Friday last year
Many wore hoods and masks, and were armed with baseball bats, knives, swords and a bicycle chain when they attacked Paul in Leytonstone, east London on Good Friday last year.
Paul's 15-year-old friend, who cannot be named because of his age, was also stabbed and left for dead after he vainly tried to come to his rescue.
The boy, who later recovered, has told how he saw the look of terror in Paul's eyes as he tried to flee.
The youths found guilty of murder today were aged 14, 15 and 16. A 16-year-old and a 19-year-old were convicted of manslaughter.
The 14 and 16-year-old convicted of murder were also convicted of the attempted murder of Paul's friend, as was the 19-year-old and another youth aged 18.
The 16-year-old found guilty of Paul's manslaughter was also convicted of wounding with intent for the attack on the friend.
A 14-year-old boy was cleared of all charges in relation to both victims.
Detective Inspector Mick Foote, who led the investigation, said teenagers on the estate were subjected to an atmosphere of "intimidation and violence" by gang members and Paul may have been seen as having disrespected them.
"He has obviously decided to stand his ground and unfortunately the consequences are very grave," he said.
The court was told Paul had been heard desperately shouting: "You can't be shanking me, you can't be stabbing me" during the vicious assault, as one of the gang called out: "Go on youngers".
He managed to run off, chased by a youth with a baseball bat, but collapsed yards from his home.
His assailants then started on his friend and left him for dead before running off to a park where they laughed and joked about the attack, the court heard. Paul's parents raced to his side but they could not save him and he died half an hour later from a single seven-inch-deep knife wound to the heart.
The friend later told the court: "I got hit in the head but I don't know who it was. Four of them pulled out knives and started stabbing me.
"After that, I dropped to the floor and then it all went into another angle, I don't know where I was going."
The boy said after the gang left him, he saw the "leader" going "in the direction of Paul".
"He was scared. "He ran and I saw his face - he was scared."
The gang were armed with samurai swords, baseball bats, knives and a heavy chain
The fatal stabbing was part of a spate involving teenagers last year that led former Prime Minister Tony Blair to urge black communities to speak out against gang culture.
Paul was one of three of the victims who went to Kingsford Community School in Beckton. The others were 17-year-old Stephen Boachie and Adam Regis, 15.
The year before, Paul had been stabbed by bullies and his parents Paul and Rita had moved him to Kingsford, hoping for a fresh start for him.
But instead they came out of their home on the evening of the attack to find his chest covered in blood as he cried out: "I'm dying, I'm dying."
He had tried to run home and was just yards away when he collapsed, and was cradled by his parents as he lay fatally injured. Detectives could not establish a clear motive for the "senseless" attack, but others believed it was to do with music because Paul was an aspiring DJ.
His friend said: "It was all the tunes and that."
Video recordings of news broadcasts about the murder were found on a mobile phone in the bedroom of one of the defendants.
Laughter and the words "bang bang" could be heard in the background.
The jury had heard his killers belonged to a gang called the Cathall Boys or E11, referring to the estate and East London postcode where they lived. Prosecutor Jonathan Turner QC said: "You will hear that such gangs, mainly comprised of upper-teenagers or young men in their early 20s, often have younger acolytes who look up to them and earn their spurs by doing the bidding of their elders. "These are the 'youngers' I mentioned earlier. They can be as young as 12 or 13 and, the Crown alleges, this gang was no different." Mr Turner added that it was almost impossible to identify any sort of motive, saying: "As to the reasons for the attack, the Crown suggests that even after having heard all the evidence you may struggle to find a convincing one. "The killing of Paul and the attempted killing of his friend were senseless acts of gratuitous violence in pursuit of no real grievance and for no credible cause. "Neither Paul nor his friend was armed. Neither did anything to provoke the attack. Neither tried to fight back nor to defend themselves when they were attacked. "Their assailants, after inflicting the fatal injuries, went calmly to a local park where they discussed what they had just done amidst joking and laughter." The defendants, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, had denied murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent.
Sentencing was adjourned until May 9. More about:
Guilty: The hoodie gang that stabbed boy, 14, to death at 'initiation ritual' | London Evening Standard
News Guilty: The hoodie gang that stabbed boy, 14, to death at 'initiation ritual'
A gang of teenage hoodies have been found guilty of knifing a 14-year-old boy to death in a "senseless" attack believed to be some kind of initiation ritual. Paul Erhahon, 14, was stabbed in the heart with a 7in sword after being set upon by a 17-strong group in the foyer of a block of flats.
Three boys were today convicted of his murder and another two for his manslaughter following a three-month Old Bailey trial.
The jury had heard how members of the group who were as young as 13 had been urged on by the others and encouraged to kill in order to "earn their spurs". Scroll down for more... Paul Erhahon died from a single 7in stab wound to the heart after he was attacked by a gang of hoodie teenagers on Good Friday last year
Many wore hoods and masks, and were armed with baseball bats, knives, swords and a bicycle chain when they attacked Paul in Leytonstone, east London on Good Friday last year.
Paul's 15-year-old friend, who cannot be named because of his age, was also stabbed and left for dead after he vainly tried to come to his rescue.
The boy, who later recovered, has told how he saw the look of terror in Paul's eyes as he tried to flee.
The youths found guilty of murder today were aged 14, 15 and 16. A 16-year-old and a 19-year-old were convicted of manslaughter.
The 14 and 16-year-old convicted of murder were also convicted of the attempted murder of Paul's friend, as was the 19-year-old and another youth aged 18.
The 16-year-old found guilty of Paul's manslaughter was also convicted of wounding with intent for the attack on the friend.
A 14-year-old boy was cleared of all charges in relation to both victims.
Detective Inspector Mick Foote, who led the investigation, said teenagers on the estate were subjected to an atmosphere of "intimidation and violence" by gang members and Paul may have been seen as having disrespected them.
"He has obviously decided to stand his ground and unfortunately the consequences are very grave," he said.
The court was told Paul had been heard desperately shouting: "You can't be shanking me, you can't be stabbing me" during the vicious assault, as one of the gang called out: "Go on youngers".
He managed to run off, chased by a youth with a baseball bat, but collapsed yards from his home.
His assailants then started on his friend and left him for dead before running off to a park where they laughed and joked about the attack, the court heard. Paul's parents raced to his side but they could not save him and he died half an hour later from a single seven-inch-deep knife wound to the heart.
The friend later told the court: "I got hit in the head but I don't know who it was. Four of them pulled out knives and started stabbi
ng me.
"After that, I dropped to the floor and then it all went into another angle, I don't know where I was going."
The boy said after the gang left him, he saw the "leader" going "in the direction of Paul".
"He was scared. "He ran and I saw his face - he was scared."
The gang were armed with samurai swords, baseball bats, knives and a heavy chain
The fatal stabbing was part of a spate involving teenagers last year that led former Prime Minister Tony Blair to urge black communities to speak out against gang culture.
Paul was one of three of the victims who went to Kingsford Community School in Beckton. The others were 17-year-old Stephen Boachie and Adam Regis, 15.
The year before, Paul had been stabbed by bullies and his parents Paul and Rita had moved him to Kingsford, hoping for a fresh start for him.
But instead they came out of their home on the evening of the attack to find his chest covered in blood as he cried out: "I'm dying, I'm dying."
He had tried to run home and was just yards away when he collapsed, and was cradled by his parents as he lay fatally injured. Detectives could not establish a clear motive for the "senseless" attack, but others believed it was to do with music because Paul was an aspiring DJ.
His friend said: "It was all the tunes and that."
Video recordings of news broadcasts about the murder were found on a mobile phone in the bedroom of one of the defendants.
Laughter and the words "bang bang" could be heard in the background.
The jury had heard his killers belonged to a gang called the Cathall Boys or E11, referring to the estate and East London postcode where they lived. Prosecutor Jonathan Turner QC said: "You will hear that such gangs, mainly comprised of upper-teenagers or young men in their early 20s, often have younger acolytes who look up to them and earn their spurs by doing the bidding of their elders. "These are the 'youngers' I mentioned earlier. They can be as young as 12 or 13 and, the Crown alleges, this gang was no different." Mr Turner added that it was almost impossible to identify any sort of motive, saying: "As to the reasons for the attack, the Crown suggests that even after having heard all the evidence you may struggle to find a convincing one. "The killing of Paul and the attempted killing of his friend were senseless acts of gratuitous violence in pursuit of no real grievance and for no credible cause. "Neither Paul nor his friend was armed. Neither did anything to provoke the attack. Neither tried to fight back nor to defend themselves when they were attacked. "Their assailants, after inflicting the fatal injuries, went calmly to a local park where they discussed what they had just done amidst joking and laughter." The defendants, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, had denied murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent.
Sentencing was adjourned until May 9. More about: