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Victim Mahir Osman |
‘Student died in attack by 40-strong rival gang’
Old Bailey told of clashes that resulted in frenzied assault by mob
VIOLENT clashes between Somali gangs resulted in a frenzied attack in which student Mahir Osman was stabbed to death in Camden Town, the Old Bailey has heard.
The 18-year-old had no chance when he was ambushed by a mob of 40 members from a rival gang last year.
“He suffered 30 separate injuries, including three fatal stab wounds to the back. It was all over in less than a minute,” prosecutor Brendan Finucane told the jury this week.
Dramatic CCTV footage of the horrific encounter was played at the Old Bailey trial of eight alleged assailants which could last up to four months.
Five of those in the dock – all are from Tottenham and Edmonton – cannot be named because they were juveniles at the time of their alleged participation. One is aged 16 and four 17.
Three other accused, Ismail Mohamed, 20, of Haringey, Faisal Wangita, 25, and Liban Elmi, 20, both of no fixed abode, can be identified.
Hundreds of bystanders saw Mahir, of Gilbey’s Yard, Chalk Farm, struck down on a Saturday night. His death on January 28 last year was captured on CCTV and jurors were taken through footage, with each of the accused, who all admit being present, being highlighted with a “halo”.
The court was told a series of violent clashes between rival gangs resulted in the attack on Mahir, who ran with the Centric Boys, also known as ANC, whose members gathered in Centric Close, Primrose Hill.
One confrontation was at a nightclub where Radio 1’s Tim Westwood was the DJ, the court was told. Fighting broke out and a Camden youth was cut.
On December 19, 2005, two Somali brothers were injured in Finsbury Park. A close friend of Mahir’s was arrested over that incident.
Mahir had been in Camden High Street with friends shortly before he was struck down with bottles, long-blade knives and lumps of wood, said Mr Finucane. His assailants belonged to a gang calling themselves the NLS – North London Somalis – from Tottenham, the court was told.
Mr Finucane said that as Mahir lay dying many of his killers leapt on a 253 bus to escape.
Police halted the bus and several suspects were put on a second bus under arrest. But many escaped after climbing from the bus windows. They left behind a “small arsenal of weapons”.
The eight defendants, one assisted by an interpreter, plead not guilty to murder. They further deny conspiracy, with seven other named men, to commit grievous bodily harm, to possess weapons and to cause violent disorder.
Mr Finucane said Mahir was surrounded outside a bank opposite Camden Town Tube station. In addition to other weapons many of the gang were armed with scaffold poles and hammers. He said: “In the frenzy of this attack it is difficult to prove who struck the fatal blows. But all those present by word or deed were involved in a joint enterprise.”
Engineering student Mahir, nicknamed Smiley, was targeted just after 10.30pm as he and his friends were “hanging about”. A friend ran towards them saying he was being pursued.
The jury heard that Mahir and his mates took up the call and confronted a group who were chased up Camden Road to Rochester Road. Police moved in “but didn’t do anything at that time”.
Mahir and his group returned to the Camden Town crossroads. “Some wanted to stand and fight while others wanted to leave the area,” said the QC.
After the attack, Mahir was conscious and gasped: “Have I been stabbed?”
He died in the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, at 2am the following morning.
The trial continues. |
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