Shaquille killers get 96 years
- 00:01:20
- ITN
Shaquille killers get 96 years
A gang of six youths has been jailed for life for murdering an innocent 14-year-old schoolboy who was stabbed in a park. Army cadet Shaquille Smith was attacked by a ten-strong bicycle gang called the London Fields Boys last August as he sat in the park in front of his home in Hackney, east London. George Amponsah, 19, Godiowe Dufeal, 20, Amisi Khama, 18, Freddie Amponsah, 17, Kadean Dias, 18, and Leon Atwell, 17, all from Hackney, were found guilty of murder last month and will serve sentences totalling a minimum of 96 years. Amponsah and Dufeal were given 18 years' custody and the other four 15-year minimum terms each. Earlier, the Old Bailey's Judge David Paget told them: "You were part of a gang of ten who went looking for trouble late at night. You were all members of a gang known as the London Fields Boys. The CCTV footage shows the arrogance with which you rode on your way looking for trouble. Shaquille Smith, a 14 year-old boy, was a stranger to most of you. "He had done absolutely nothing to cause offence of provoke any one of you. He was truly innocent and what is more is he was yards away from his front door. One of you stabbed him fatally and you ran away like the cowards you are back to London Fields. You arrived together as a gang and you left as a gang." The judge added: "It was completely unprovoked and completely unnecessary. It was mindless violence on a completely innocent young boy. You must all receive life sentences which are mandatory. "You have taken away the life of a promising young boy aged 14 and have thrown away the chances of achieving anything in your own young lives." The court heard Dufeal was on licence at the time of the murder following convictions for possessing a prohibited weapon and ammunition without a certificate. He also had previous convictions for possessing knives, using disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer. George Amponsah had previous convictions for affray, threatening behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, possession of cannabis and common assault. His brother Freddie became a father while in prison. Amisi Khama was a semi-professional footballer for Bishop Stortford FC in the Conference South division and Dias was described as a "promising student". Shaquille was the youngest teenager to be murdered in a knife attack in London last year. He was stabbed to death just yards from his home after he and his friends were confronted by the gang who rode around the streets of Hackney, east London, on bikes in hoodies looking to intimidate and harass anyone who crossed their path. Shaquille was targeted because he was chatting to an 18-year-old boy who happened to be the brother of a rival graffiti tagger known as Pinky. After members of the gang were bitten by the youth's dog, they returned to their bikes to collect their knives. One witness told the court how they jumped over the fence "like a wild pack of dogs" before attacking Shaquille.
ITN | July 9, 2009
