Teenager was 'stabbed to death for a dirty look', court hears

Martin Dinnegan died aged 14, a victim of "the growing scourge of urban posturing" gripping our towns and cities, the jury was told.

The frightening new dimension in this "rapidly escalating spiral of violence" is the peer pressure to use weapons and that the gang members wielding the knives and their victims are getting younger, the court heard. The case "moved from dirty looks to death in one hour", said Aftab Jafferjee, QC, prosecuting.

Martin's parents Jim and Lorraine sat holding hands at the back of court as the trial opened. Martin died after a series of clashes between two groups in Islington last June. He had been on a bus with two friends on his way to the park, but an hour later he lay dead in the street, the jury heard.

The 16-year-old defendant and two friends had been riding their bicycles on the same road. "The bus group and the bike group spotted each other and dirty looks were directed between them," said Mr Jafferjee.

"Each side will claim that the other was responsible for the dirty looks but it was the cyclists who took it upon themselves to turn and follow the bus, thereby ensuring that an encounter would take place."

When Martin and his friends got off the bus there was a clash but no violence - and he had every reason to believe the threat had blown over, the court heard.

Martin's group went to the park but the cyclists were reinforced by a 17-year-old defendant who brandished a screwdriver. Thirty minutes later at a housing estate the two teenage defendants and their gang were joined by Sean Clark, 19, and Rene John-Baptist, 21, who are also on trial.

Violence broke out and the 16-year-old defendant was cut on his shoulder. He later blamed Martin for the injury although it appeared that another youth had been in possession of the knife, the court heard.

Martin was captured on CCTV fleeing - little knowing he was running for his life. Mr Jafferjee said: "He was chased over a substantial distance by these defendants and others, either on bikes or on a moped.

"When anybody, let alone a boy, is running away from people nobody can sensibly suggest that such a boy poses a threat to anyone.

"Martin was pursued and a mob attack was unleashed on him. He was punched, kicked and stabbed in his back. This case graphically illustrates the growing scourge of urban posturing which involves aimless meanderings by groups of people, who if not actually seeking confrontation, are prepared to exploit any pretext to engage in or threaten to use violent behaviour - the former tends to lead to the latter.

"Such posturing in our towns and cities, while not actually new, has nevertheless in recent times taken on an even more disturbing dimension in that the ages of those engaged, and on the receiving end of such conduct, are becoming increasingly young.

"An essential part of such posturing is the importance in the minds of these teenagers of not just being prepared to use a weapon but to be seen to be doing so by their peers. A rapidly escalating spiral of violence is all but inevitable. This is such a case and it moved from dirty looks to death in one hour."

John-Baptist, of Plaistow, Clark, of Holloway, the 17-year-old from Holloway, and fourth defendant, 16, of Finsbury Park - neither of whom can be identified because of their age - have all pleaded not guilty to murdering Martin, from Holloway.

The case continues.