Lewis Blackman

SIX boys who allegedly killed a Kentish Town teenager as he lay “defenceless on the ground” were tracked across London by police using dozens of CCTV cameras, a court has heard.

After they gatecrashed a house party in west London, Lewis Blackman and his friends were chased through the street by a group of around 10 armed with knives, an Old Bailey murder trial was told.

Having been caught after momentarily stopping to face his pursuers, the 19-year-old was subjected to a knife attack that was described by the prosecution as “truly shocking” in its brutality. He was stabbed 14 times.

Six teenage boys, all aged 16 and 17, are on trial accused of murder. None can be named due to their ages. They all deny the charges.

The attack was caught on CCTV cameras and witnessed by several members of the public. A man, believed to have been a friend of Mr Blackman, ran back towards Mr Blackman as he lay dying, the court heard.

He was seen to point “a firearm of some sort” at Mr Blackman’s attackers, the jury was told.

Police officers have reviewed more than 200 hours of CCTV footage to piece together the movements of Mr Blackman’s alleged killers. While the faces of those who killed Mr Blackman were not captured on camera, the prosecution allege that they can be identified using CCTV footage “of exceptional clarity” from earlier in the evening.

The jury was shown footage taken from homes, hotels and restaurants that the prosecution allege show the defendants travelling back to their homes in Hackney and Tottenham after the murder.

One of the six defendants, aged 16, turned up at hospital with what is believed to be a knife wound after Mr Blackman’s death, the court heard.

Playing hospital security camera footage, prosecuting barrister Oliver Glasgow QC said: “[He] attended North Middlesex Hospital to seek treatment to an injury he had sustained to his arm.”

Representing the defendant, Sean Poulier said that Mr Blackman had been carrying a knife and had arrived with a group of around 10 others, who were seen on CCTV to run from the scene. Only Mr Blackman did not get away, the court heard.

Mr Poulier said: “None of these people stayed to assist police when police arrived at the scene.”

Mr Glasgow had earlier told the jury that the house party, organised as a 16th birthday party, had been exclusively attended by young men from Hackney.

Mr Glasgow said the teenage girl who organised the party had been “particularly careful to avoid inviting any boys from Camden since she was aware that there was history between boys from Hackney and boys from Camden”.

Mr Blackman and his friends, however, turned up at around 3am and tried to force their way in, the court heard.

Mr Glasgow said that “no matter what may have been said or done by Lewis Blackman or any of his friends to offend or frighten the guests… there is nothing these six defendants can say to excuse the murderous attack”.

The case continues.