A 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death by a rival group of six youths against a background of tit-for-tat violence, a court has heard.
Gordon Gault was stabbed in Newcastle’s West End on November 9 2022 and died a exactly a year ago in hospital, jurors were told.
Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting, said two armed groups clashed and Gordon and another youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were stabbed.
Outlining the case to the jury, he said some rap lyrics and notes written on some of the defendants’ phones will form part of they evidence in the trial, which could last six weeks.
Mr Sandiford told Newcastle Crown Court Gordon and the other youth – who survived – were attacked out of revenge for one of the defendants, Carlos Neto, now 18, being stabbed, or “cheffed”, in the bottom some weeks before.
And on the day of the fatal stabbing, his co-accused Benedict Mbala, also now 18, was assaulted outside his college, with a humiliating video clip of the attack being shared on social media.
Mr Sandiford said the defendants’ group armed themselves with two machetes of the type used by the British Army Gurkha regiment, kitchen knives and a lump hammer, then went into the territory of their rivals, known as a “vio”, or violation.
He said there was a feud, or “beef” between the groups, and it “involved tit-for-tat violence and threats of violence before and after the stabbings”.
Gordon retrieved a metal baseball bat from some bushes and was seen on CCTV to be wearing blue latex gloves, to avoid leaving DNA or fingerprints, in the lead-up to the clash between groups, Mr Sandiford said.
He was riding on the back of an electric scooter ridden by another youth, who cannot be named, as the rivals looked for each other.
Neto then used a machete to stab Gordon in the arm, catching him unaware on the back of the e-bike, and the blow severed vital blood vessels, the court heard.
The youth rode him away from the scene, leaving a trail of blood in the road, and an ambulance was called but the 14-year-old could not be saved despite days of hospital treatment.
Meanwhile, the two armed groups continued to clash until a passing motorist caused them to break up.
One of Gordon’s group was also slashed and required hospital treatment for his large wound, the court heard.
The defendants all deny murder and a charge of wounding with intent on the other alleged victim.
The defendants are: Mbala, of St John’s Walk, Newcastle; Neto, of Manchester Road East, Manchester; Daniel Lacerda, 18, of Paddock Close, Ferryhill, County Durham; Lawson Natty, 18, of Eastgarth, Newbiggin Hall Estate, Newcastle, and youths aged 17 and 16 who cannot be identified.
Mr Sandiford will continue opening the case on Wednesday.
