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Boy, 15, stabbed to death by gang as he pleaded for his life
Justin Davenport16 Feb 2009
A boy was stabbed nine times in the back by four teenagers while begging for his life, the Old Bailey was told today.
Sunday Essiet, 15, an orphan from Nigeria, was chased back and forth across Plumstead park, it was said.
Ignoring pleas from Sunday's friends not to kill him and the boy's own cries for mercy, the gang stabbed him repeatedly and he died on the spot from massive blood loss in February last year.
Students Adeniyi Oloyede and Miles Maddy, both 19 and from Thamesmead, unemployed Sikiru Doherty, 20, of Woolwich, and Ifedotum Gbadebo-Araoye, 19, of Charlton, deny murder. Gbadebo-Araoye also denies robbery.
Prosecutor Edward Brown, QC, told the Old Bailey that Sunday was initially stabbed during a confrontation on one side of the park, adding: "He managed to escape but only temporarily. He ran off but was chased by the defendants, a hundred yards across that park and then to a wall where he had no escape.
"He was hounded by this group of four defendants, a number of them armed with knives. Those with Sunday called out to the gang as they chased him not to kill him. He himself called out and begged not to be attacked again. It was a continuing and joint attack."
Mr Brown said Sunday's father died in 1998 and he came to the UK with his mother at the age of five. His mother returned to Nigeria and died in 2003.
Without parents to guide him and with no permanent home, Sunday skipped school and was not "immune to a criminal lifestyle".
The court heard that Sunday was "angry" because his cousin had been threatened earlier that day and in an ensuing altercation with a gang in Plumstead High Street was arrested by police.
Sunday went to the park with a gun in a bag, accompanied by six friends.
However, the other gang realised the weapon could not be fired and attacked him, it is alleged.
The trial continues.
