Teen ‘died’ for 50 minutes after ‘brutal’ knife attack

James Bascoe-Smith was knocked off a bicycle and repeatedly stabbed by masked men, the Old Bailey heard.

Undated handout photo issued by Metropolitan Police of James Bascoe-Smith (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Archive)

A teenager was effectively dead for nearly an hour after being subjected to a “brutal and terrible” knife attack in the street, a court has heard.

James Bascoe-Smith, then aged 16, shouted “call my mum, call my mum” after he was knocked off a bicycle and repeatedly stabbed by masked men, the Old Bailey heard.

He was said to have been “in the wrong place at the wrong time” when he was targeted in Brixton, south London, on February 23 last year and has been left with life-changing injuries.

A black Range Rover drove towards the victim, James Bascoe-Smith, as he did no more than try out a bicycle belonging to his mother to make sure it was safe for her

Edward Brown QC

Jurors were shown a selection of “terrifying” knives which were recovered by police after the stabbing, including a combat knife, a Rambo-style blade, and a Zombie-style machete.

Leon Rashid, 20, Taiquane Lewis, 18, and Patrick Fox-Pinto, 18, are on trial accused of conspiracy to murder.

Opening their trial, Edward Brown QC told how two stolen vehicles made their way to Henry Road in Brixton shortly after 6pm.

He said: “A black Range Rover drove towards the victim, James Bascoe-Smith, as he did no more than try out a bicycle belonging to his mother to make sure it was safe for her.

“The Range Rover deliberately drove towards him, struck him and knocked him off his bike.

“Occupants of that stolen Range Rover and the occupants of a second car, a VW Passat, got out and he was attacked, in particular by three males, each using a potentially lethal weapon…before they then sped off in the same cars.”

Meanwhile, James’ mother had been waiting at her door whilst her son took the bike for a test-cycle.

Within moments, she received a Facetime call from his mobile telephone as he lay on the ground, the court heard.

Emergency services were also alerted and paramedics arrived at 6.22pm.

Medics noted a large knife wound to the left arm, a knife wound to the abdomen and further wounds to the right thigh.

Before he could be taken to hospital, his heart stopped prompting emergency treatment at the scene to bring him back to life.

In effect, James Bascoe-Smith had ‘died’ at the scene and was only brought back to life by the immediate and significant efforts of the treating medical professionals

Edward Brown QC

Mr Brown said: “This was a brutal and terrible attack.

“In effect, James Bascoe-Smith had ‘died’ at the scene and was only brought back to life by the immediate and significant efforts of the treating medical professionals.

“However, he had suffered a significant period during which there was a lack of blood/oxygen to the brain – possibly as much as 50 minutes.”

As a result, James’ injuries were “profound and life changing”, jurors were told.

Even though there had been some limited improvement in the months since the attack, the physical and neurological damage was “very significant and remains so”, Mr Brown said.

The prosecutor told jurors that no reason had been found for the attack on James who was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

However, it was a “very determined and concerted attack” by a team of who “very nearly succeeded” in killing the teenager, he said.

Rashid, from Thornton Heath, south London, Lewis, of Kennington, south London, and Fox-Pinto, from Bow, east London, deny conspiracy to murder.

Rashid and Fox-Pinto are further charged with having an offensive weapon.

Stephanie Paez-Lopez, 20, from Clapham, south London, denies assisting an offender by helping to dispose of the Range Rover.

The trial continues.