SYDENHAM: Friend urged stab victim to stay away from 'gang in park' (From News Shopper)

Friends urged victim Nicholas Pearton to stay away from 'gang in park'

2:15pm Thursday 13th January 2011 in News By Kelly Smale

A FRIEND of stabbed teenager Nicholas Pearton told him not to go to the park where a gang had gathered, a court has heard.

Nicholas, aged 16, died after being chased and stabbed in Home Park Recreation Ground, Sydenham, on May 5 last year.

Six boys, aged 14 to 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are on trial charged with his murder at the Old Bailey.

A jury of seven men and five women have previously heard that there was a teenage rivalry between two gangs, Shanks and Guns or SG and the Black Mafia, also known as the Sydenham Boys.

A 14-year-old girl told the court that she had been with friends, including Nicholas, outside the park when he received a phone call.

The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: “He said 'yeah ok. I'm coming'

“I asked him who it was. He wouldn't tell me he just said SG were in the park.”

Edward Brown, prosecuting, asked: “Did you know what that meant?”

She said: “I instantly thought 'oh no there's going to be trouble'.”

The court heard that Nicholas got on his bike and rode off towards the park.

The witness said: “We followed him round to the park to see what was going on. We told him not to go.

“He said 'no I've got to go. I have to help them'.

“He told us to go back to his house and he would be back there soon.”

Nicholas's friends returned to his house and informed his mum what was happening.

He died from a single stab wound to the back which entered his lung, cut through the pulmonary vein and penetrated his heart.

The Old Bailey previously heard that when Nicholas arrived at the park, his friends who were members of the Black Mafia had disappeared and he was left on his own.

He was then chased across the park and stabbed but managed to stagger into the M&M chicken shop and shut the door behind him, which is where his mother found him dying on the floor.

All six defendants deny murder.

The trial continues.