Five South London Teens Found Guilty of Sofyen's Killing

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Convicted for murderand manslaughter of Fulham schoolboy

Five teenagers have been found guilty of killing Fulham schoolboy Sofyen Belalmouadden at the Old Bailey.

Obi Nwokeh, 18, of Bermondsey and a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons were convicted of murder by unanimous jury verdicts.

Samuel Roberts of Camberwell, Adonis Akra of Stockwell both 18, and another 17-year-old were cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

Enoch Amoah, 18, of Camberwell was cleared of both charges but convicted of violent disorder.

All six defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

Sofyen, who was 15, lived in Acton and attended Fulham's Henry Compton School. He was killed on March 25 last year after being chased through Victoria Station and stabbed.

The court heard that the attack, which took place in front of horrified travellers during the rush hour, was planned in advance on Facebook.

CCTV footage from inside the station showed Sofyen being knocked to the ground and surrounded. The attackers, using swords, batons and iron bars, stabbed him nine times, including injuries to his chest and lungs.

The weapons also included a set of kitchen knives which are alleged to have been bought by another defendant, 18 year-old Victoria Osoteku in the Shepherd's Bush branch of Argos,

Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said: "He was given no chance of life. So brazen and confident were his killers that they openly carried the various weapons that they used with them as they ran towards him and together hunted him down."

A total of 20 people are accused are due to face separate trials over the killing. All defendants will be sentenced following the conclusion of these cases

Earlier in the trial, Sofyen's father Abdeslam, known as Abdullah, fled the court in tears as the jury watched CCTV footage of the attack on his son.

As well as attending school in Fulham, Sofyen played football for Chelsea Kickz, a scheme run by the Premier League club for young people in deprived areas, and for Acton Garden Village Youth Sunday League team.

After his death, a Chelsea FC spokesman paid tribute to him, saying Sofyen was a talented footballer and adding that he was a "valued participant" in the scheme.

His schoolmates at Henry Compton School, Sofyen's fellow pupils created an impromptu memorial in playground and decorated it with flowers and tributes. The school also created two writing walls where students could leave their own personal messages.

January 28, 2011