17 year old denies murder during attempted robbery

One of the gang accused of the murder of Dean Mayley has admitted in court that he wielded the knife in the fatal attack.

According to a report from the BBC, the 17 year old who cannot be named for legal reasons, made the admission whilst giving evidence at the Old Bailey. He told the court that he did not mean to cause "really serious injuries" and that he was intending only to rob him.

He claimed that he had been given the silver lock knife by another person at his college on the day of the attack suggesting to the jury that he had been pressured into taking it.

Dean Mayley, aged 24, was stabbed to death on 7th February as he walked along Ruislip Road, Greenford in what the prosecution allege was a street mugging. The jury at the Old Bailey has been shown CCTV footage of the stabbing. Dean, who had a mental age of 9, was approached by three people two of whom blocked his path whilst another ran up behind him with a knife in his right hand. He was stabbed in the heart and died later in hospital.

The prosecution say that the group intended to steal Dean's mobile phone and North Face jacket and that because of his mental condition he didn't understand what they wanted.

Another 17 year old, who also cannot be named, and Ryan Beresford, aged 19 from Acton, stood in Mr Mayley's way, and Michael Mensah allegedly drove them to and from the scene. All four accused deny murder. Three of the group also deny attempted robbery but the 17 year old accused of the stabbing has admitted a charge of attempted robbery.

The case continues.

August 13, 2014