Judge blasts gangs after stab murder

By Andrew Hough Reuters - Friday, May 9 05:25 pm

LONDON (Reuters) - A judge blasted Britain's "dreadful" gang culture as he jailed a group of youths on Friday who had stabbed a 16-year-old boy to death in a London street.

Kodjo Yenga was ambushed by about a dozen teenagers, including two girls, armed with knives and bats and yelling "kill him.".

After attacking the student in front of horrified passers-by, the gang ran off smiling and laughing with their bull-terrier dog, prosecutors said.

He lay dying in his girlfriend's arms, after being stabbed in the heart during the attack in Hammersmith, west London in March last year.

Passers-by, including a policeman, tried to help him after he collapsed in the street but he later died in hospital.

On Friday the gang, from Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush, were jailed despite denying their involvement.

Passing sentence at the Old Bailey, judge Christopher Moss said it was "another needless loss of a young life on the streets of our cities".

"You were all part of gang culture which casts its dreadful influence over our cities and leads to the sort of tragedy we have seen here," he told the court.

"The courts must send out a clear message that the violent taking of lives by youngsters such as yourselves must be punished severely."

The gang had earlier being convicted of various offences including murder, manslaughter, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

Tirrell Davis, 17, and Brandon Richmond, 14, were each jailed for life after being found guilty of murder and told they would spend at least 15 years behind bars.

Kurtis Yemoh, 17, Michael Williams, 15, and Jamel Bridgeman, 15, were each jailed for 10 years for manslaughter.

An order banning publication of their identities was lifted by the judge due to the severity of the case.

The court was told that Kodjo had agreed to have a one-to-one fight after a challenge from a member of a London street gang called the MDP.

After sentencing, Kodjo's mother, Laduja Lesele, said the group had shown no remorse.

"My beautiful and innocent son Kodjo will never come home again and this breaks my heart," a family spokeswoman said in a statement outside court.

"I call upon all young people to stop using weapons, to avoid being involved in a gang and to stop all violent acts.

(Editing by Stephen Addison)

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