A TEENAGE orphan known as 'Baby' pleaded for his life as he was pursued by four knifemen who plunged their weapons into his back, a jury has heard.

Sunday Essiet, 15, was chased, screaming, across a park in broad daylight in front of shocked passers-by who said the teenager "did not stand a chance".

On trial at the Old Bailey are Sikuru Doherty, aged 20, of Swetenham Walk, Woolwich; Miles Maddy and Adeniyi Oloyede, nicknamed 'Knifer', both aged 19, of Corraline Walk, Thamesmead, and Ifedotun Gbadeo-Araoye, also aged 19, of The Heights, Charlton, who all deny murdering Sunday on February 19 last year.

Gbadeo-Aroaye also denies robbing Ibrahim Ajidagba of a gold chain on the same date, when he allegedly broke off from the attack on Sunday.

Prosecutor Ed Brown, told the court: "Sunday was just 15 when he was killed in a knife attack that was carried out in broad daylight.

"He died from massive bleeding lying on the ground.

"He was killed despite his pleas to his killers to stop, and some who saw the attack, describe him as having no chance".

Mr Brown said Sunday of Cooper's Road, Southwark, had been chased up and down a fenced-off football pitch in Plumstead and had suffered nine fatal knife wounds to his back.

He claimed: "The reality of the events is that Sunday, known as Baby, was hounded, by the group around the park.

"He managed to escape, but only temporarily, and he ran away.

"But he was chased back and forth across the park and then to a wall where he had no escape and where he died."

Mr Brown said two of the attackers had even left the park to go and get knives to attack the teenager with.

The court heard how Sunday's friends had called out to the armed mob not to kill him and Sunday had pleaded with them not to attack him again and had called for help.

Mr Brown said one of the nine stab wounds had penetrated through his body to Sunday's chest and left a 10cm cut.

The gang then fled, leaving Sunday dying in a pool of blood as he lay gasping for breath in Invermore Place, off the Glyndon Estate, in Plumstead.

Paramedics flew to the scene in an air ambulance but could not save the teenager's life.

Jurors heard Sunday had arrived with his mother and sister from Nigeria in 2000, two years after his father's death.

But his mother had become seriously ill and returned to Nigeria, where she also died in 2003.

Sunday and his sister went to live with other family members, but there were problems and eventually his sister moved in with her boyfriend.

The teenager was then left to fend for himself, flitting between hostels.

Mr Brown said: "He had no schooling, no structure to his life and no parents.

"Sunday was not immune to the experience of a criminal lifestyle."

On the day of his death and still angry about an incident that afternoon which had led to the arrest of his cousin, Sunday had armed himself with an imitation gun and went looking for Maddy and his friends.

Mr Brown claimed: "'He had a gun with him in a bag.

"But his friend must have known about it and went to take it out, so the defendants scattered."

He said it had soon become clear the gun was harmless.

This had given the gang confidence and they were determined to have their revenge.

Mr Brown added: "Once the gun was known to have no use, the knives became potentially lethal.

"And it was this gun which sparked off the attack that killed Sunday."

The trial continues.