Four get life for murder of Negus McLean

Four gang members were given life terms today for killing a 15-year-old boy who was chased by a “hunting posse of boys on bicycles” and stabbed.

Negus McLean was repeatedly stabbed until the blade of a large knife broke away from its handle, the Old Bailey heard.

Billal Lariba, 18, Brandon Hamilton, 18, both of Enfield, north London, Tershan Edwards, 19, of St Albans, Hertfordshire and 16-year-old Travis Bowman, of Enfield, were found guilty of murder.

They were given life sentences. Hamilton was ordered to serve a minimum of 19 years, Edwards 17 years, Lariba 16-and-a-half years and Bowman 12-and-a-half years.

Judge John Bevan told them the "ghastly" killing was "cowardly beyond belief".

The gangs operated "on a parallel universe" intent on meting out their own reprisals and refusing to co-operate with police.

Judge Bevan added: "Lack of self-control and moral values is at the heart of it."

The prosecution said they were all members of the Enfield EN3 Get Money Gang.

Yasmin Latif, 17, of Enfield, was found guilty of perverting the court of justice and given a 12 month detention and training order.

Negus was a victim of postcode rivalry between two teenage gangs which saw three stabbings in a week in neighbouring areas of north London.

The first two victims, involving rivals from the Enfield EN3 Get Money Gang and Edmonton N9's Dem Africans group, survived.

But Negus, a member of DA, died from his injuries following the attack by members of the GMG on April 10, 2011.

Simon Denison, QC, prosecuting, said: "A group of seven boys from the GMG gang rode out of EN3 on bicycles, like a hunting posse, south into N9, in order to carry out that attack."

Negus was riding his bike with some other lads when he was spotted, chased and killed.

Mr Denison added: "Negus came off his bike and he was attacked. He was knocked to the ground and repeatedly stabbed in the chest and in his legs.

"A metal knife that was used to stab him was driven down into him with such force that the blade snapped off the handle.

"Negus was left lying on the pavement, blood pouring from his wounds.

"He lost a lot of blood very quickly and died that evening in hospital."

Negus's mother Ingrid said in a statement to the court: "My heart is broken.

"Negus died just before his 16th birthday. He did not get to finish school. There was no prom for him.

"I was picking out his coffin on his birthday."

Of her son's killers, she said: "I am angry and hate what they have done.

"It seems these young boys have no respect for life, even their own.

"One day, if they become parents they will think about Negus and the pain they have caused."

PA