GONCALVES: TRIO OF YOUTHS TO FACE RETRIAL OVER VICTORIA STATION ATTACK
Three youths accused of taking part in a gang attack which left a 15-year-old boy dead in Victoria underground station are to face a retrial.
Chris Goncalves and Tayo Ajayi, both 18, and a 17 year-old are said to have been part of a group who targeted Sofyen Belamouadden in a pre-arranged fight arranged on Facebook.
He was stabbed at least nine times and suffered fatal wounds to his heart and right lung, after being surrounded in the ticket hall of the tube station in the early evening rush hour on March 25 last year.
Last week Samson Odegbune, 18, who wielded a samurai-sword as he led a gang of 20 armed youths towards Sofyen and his friends was convicted of murder at the Old Bailey.
Goncalves was cleared of murder, manslaughter and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm after a three-month trial.
But he will face a retrial on a single charge of violent disorder as the jury failed to reach a verdict.
Ajayi and the youth, who cannot be named, were cleared of murder on the directions of the judge part way through the trial.
Ajayi now faces a retrial on charges of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder after the jury failed to reach verdicts in his case.
The 17-year-old defendant was cleared of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, but will be retried for violent disorder.
Two others were cleared of all charges.
Prosecutor Zubair Ahmed told the Old Bailey today (Fri) that after consideration the Crown intended ‘to seek a retrial remaining charges’.
The youths were the second group of a total of 20 to face trial over Sofyen’s death.
At the first trial which ended in May Obi Nwokeh, 18, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named, were convicted of murder.
Three others, Samuel Roberts, Adonis Akrah and a second 17-year-old, were convicted of manslaughter.
A sixth teenager, Enoch Amoah, 18, was cleared of both murder and manslaughter, but convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.
A further trial of six youths, including the only female defendant Victoria Osoteku, 19, is due to begin on September 12 and is due to last 10 to 12 weeks.
Judge Anthony Morris QC ordered that Goncalves, Ajayi and the unnamed youth should appear on that day in order to decide when they will face a retrial.
Goncalves, of Island Road, Bermondsey; Ajayi, of Mayhew Court, Denmark Hill Estate; and the youth, also from south London; remain on bail.
ENDS
