A teenager has been found guilty of stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death outside a boxing gym in front of the victim’s social worker.
Teon Campbell-Pitter was set upon outside the Double Jab Boxing Club in New Cross, south east London, just before 4pm on April 13 last year.
A scuffle broke out and Teon was stabbed by one of two 16-year-old youths who had confronted him, jurors were told.
The knife, which was never recovered, was plunged 4.7in (12cm) deep into Teon’s groin.
The first defendant, who wielded the fatal blow, had admitted having a blade that day but denied murder by claiming he acted in self-defence.
The second defendant, who was accused of encouraging and assisting him, also denied murder. He declined to give evidence but it was claimed on his behalf that, while he accepted being at the scene, he had no knowledge of what was to happen.
A jury at the Old Bailey found the first defendant guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder on Wednesday. The second defendant was cleared of both charges.
Members of Teon’s family who sat in the well of the court appeared shocked and upset at the verdicts.
Before walking out of the courtroom, one declared: “People can kill anyone… Let that be on your head, seriously.”
Another woman added: “You have got no right to take life, wicked people.”
Earlier in the trial, prosecutor Sally O’Neill KC had described the incident which ended in Teon’s death.
She said: “Teon Campbell-Pitter was walking to the boxing gym accompanied by his Youth Offending Service worker.
“As they approached the gym, (the youths) saw him, approached him and, acting together, confronted him and engaged in a scuffle.
“(The first youth) had a knife with him and he used it to stab Teon Campbell-Pitter once in the groin area. He and (the second youth) then fled.
“Teon Campbell-Pitter staggered towards and into the boxing gym but collapsed. The stab wound had cut a major blood vessel and he could not be saved.”
Ms O’Neill told jurors there was “ill feeling” between Teon and the first youth after an incident a year earlier in which Teon was found with a “Rambo-style” survival knife tucked into his waistband.
On March 23 2021, Teon and others were caught on CCTV appearing to act “aggressively” towards the youth in Lewisham High Street, jurors heard.
When the youth “pushed back”, he was struck with a crutch, it is claimed.
Ms O’Neill said: “The fighting between the groups persisted even when two adult members of the public intervened to try and separate them.
“Police were called and arrived very soon. Teon Campbell-Pitter and others were arrested for affray.
“When he was searched, Teon Campbell-Pitter told officers that he had a knife in his waistband, and so it proved to be – a 10in Rambo-style, silver serrated blade in a sheath.”
In a police interview, Teon failed to explain what happened, while the first youth told officers at the scene he had been “jumped”, the court heard.
In a phone call overheard by officers, he said he was going to kill the people who had jumped him.
He denied knowing the attackers, allegedly telling police they had asked if he was in a gang called “Monson” and threatened to “wet him up”, meaning stab him.
After police decided not to take further action against the youth, he declined to make a statement, saying “I ain’t no snitch”, jurors heard.
Teon was charged with affray and possession of a bladed article and that case was outstanding against him at the time of his death.
The court heard that the first youth had also told a friend that he hated Teon and wanted to hurt him.
Following the verdict, the first defendant, who cannot be identified because of his age, was remanded into custody to be sentenced on March 10.
