A teenager has been found guilty of murdering stab victim Martin Dinnegan, 14, in north London.

Martin was stabbed to death near his home in Holloway, north London, within an hour of dirty looks being exchanged between two groups of youths.

He was chased by a gang and left to die on the street in June last year.

Local resident Tom Morgan said he saw Martin run past him pleading: "Please help me," as he was chased along the street.

"He ran past us on the road to my left then a guy with a black tracksuit went past on a large-framed BMX," he said.

"He [Martin Dinnegan] was very white-faced, he was sprinting towards us and shouted 'Help me, please help me'."

- Eyewitness Tom Morgan

"He dropped the bike when he got alongside the victim. Martin stood still and put his hands up as if to placate the cyclist. Martin appeared scared, very scared."

He said the cyclist then punched Martin in "the head or neck".

Martin fell to the ground and the youth pinned him down. Mr Morgan added: "Then I saw what seemed to be a stabbing motion rather than a punching motion four or five times in very rapid succession."

Martin, a pupil at St Aloysius College in Archway, lived on a local housing estate where there was rivalry with youths living on another estate.

The jury at the Old Bailey took just five hours to convict the 16-year-old youth of Martin's murder.

A 17-year-old was found guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was cleared of murder and manslaughter.

Rene John-Baptiste, 21, of Plaistow, east London, and Sean Clark, 19, of Holloway, were cleared of all charges.

The two juveniles cannot be named because of their ages. They were remanded in custody for sentencing on August 8.


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