ONE of the boys on trial for murdering Nicholas Pearton denies being the person who stabbed him, a court has heard.

Nicholas was stabbed to death on May 5 last year after being chased through Home Park Recreation Ground in Sydenham.

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

They all deny the charge.

Jurors have heard the killing may have been sparked by a rivalry between two gangs, Shanks and Guns, or S & G, and the Black Mafia, also known as the Sydenham Boys.

A 17-year-old defendant took to the stands today to give evidence.

The Old Bailey heard that a confrontation had taken place at a school that day between that defendant and a friend of Nick Pearton’s.

The youth’s defence barrister Diane Ellis said: “You decided to go and find him and some others. What was going to happen?”

The defendant said: “It was just a confrontation and a fight.”

He told the court he did not have a weapon.

Jurors were told that once inside Home Park one of the boys from the other group pulled out a sword and shouted “come on”.

Ms Ellis asked him how his group reacted.

The defendant said: “Surprised because we didn’t know there was going to be weapons like that.”

He told the court that one of the boys from his group had a knife and others picked up wood.

He also told the court that some of his group chased after Nicholas Pearton, but he did not.

Ms Ellis said: “As you ran from the area of the park towards Sainsburys, were you aware that Nick or anyone had been stabbed?”

The defendant replied: “No”.

The court heard that he gave his jacket to a friend on his way home from Home Park because he did not want people to think he was present.

Jurors were also told that when he was first interviewed by police, he gave a false alibi.

Ms Ellis asked him why he did that.

The defendant said: “I was scared that if I told them [the police], gang members would come after me.”

He told the court that he did not consider himself a member of SG but he was associated with them.

Kerin Fuad, defence barrister for a different 17-year-old defendant asked the teenager in the stand: “Why did you stab Nick?”

The defendant said: “I didn’t.”

Mr Fuad said: “But you did, didn’t you? I suggest this was your fight. It started by way of an argument with words outside the school and three hours later ended up with you stabbing a wholly innocent person.

The defendant denied the allegation.

Mr Fuad suggested that the defendant knew Nicholas Pearton.

The defendant told the court that he knew him by face.

Mr Fuad said: “You’re a younger member of SG. It means something to you to be part of this gang.”

The defendant said: “I have no reason to be part of it.”

Mr Fuad said: “Didn’t it give you street cred?”

The defendant replied: “I don’t want street cred, I have no reason to be part of a gang.”

Mr Fuad said: “You recognised Nick when you were in Home Park didn’t you? And you ran after him out through to that library exit and you murdered him.”

The defendant said: “No, I didn’t.”

Mr Fuad added: “You brought a knife that you had hidden away from others in that puffer jacket of yours and you stabbed him in the back. He wasn’t even looking at you at the time you killed him.”

The defendant replied: “I didn’t do anything to him.”

Defence barrister for a 16-year-old defendant, Sarah Forshaw also cross-examined the defendant in the stand, asking him what happened in the middle of Sydenham Road.

Miss Forshaw said: “I suggest it was you taking out a knife from your clothing, and you stabbing Nicholas Pearton.”

The defendant replied: “No.”

Miss Forshaw added: “You turned what was a mere confrontation into a killing.”

The defendant replied: “I had no reason to turn it into that.”

Miss Forshaw told him: “Now you haven’t the courage to admit what you did and so you blame someone else in your group for the stabbing, and I suggest if that won’t work, you intend to take others down with you.”

The defendant denied this.

He also denied calling another member of SG who had not been in Home Park that night to tell him he had killed someone.

The trial continues.