A teenager died after suffering 'multiple stab wounds' as two 'rival gangs' clashed in the street, a murder trial has heard.
Alexander John Soyoye, known as John, died amid a feud between the Moston based 'M40' gang and the Rochdale and Oldham outfit Representing the Danger (RTD), prosecutors have said. Manchester Crown Court has heard that hostilities spilled onto the streets of Moston.
Revenge attack
The stabbing of a relative of an M40 gang member in Piccadilly Gardens earlier that day was the catalyst for a brutal 'revenge' attack which resulted in 16-year-old Mr Soyoye's death hours later, prosecutors claim.
Jurors heard that 13 people, said to be RTD members, later headed to Moston to 'exact revenge', with the groups involved in a violent melee. Eight M40 gang members became overwhelmed and fled, it was said.
Victim isolated and attacked
Mr Soyoye was injured in an earlier fight, jurors heard. He became isolated before being punched, kicked and stabbed, the court has heard.
Six members of the RTD gang were previously convicted of Mr Soyoye's murder, the court heard. They are Francesco Raji, now 24, of Elm Road, Oldham; Christopher Semedo, now 27, of Elm Road, Oldham; Nelson Correia, now 26, of Petworth Road, Oldham; Ismiel Correia, now 24, of Cavanagh Close, Ardwick; Brent Tchipenda, now 23, of Wistaria Road, Gorton; and Octavio Antonio, now 24, of Deepdale Court, Moston.
A seventh member, Mohammed Al-Jaf, now 25, of Bradney Close, Blackley, was convicted of manslaughter, jurors were told. Ruben Candiza, 26; Valco De-Almeida, 27; Marco Veiga, 25; and Emerson Teta, 25, are now on trial accused of murder and violent disorder. They all deny the offences.
Evidence presented
As the trial continued for a second week, jurors heard that a post mortem examination found that Mr Soyoye died after suffering 'multiple stab wounds'.
Junior prosecutor Andrew Smith told the court that a baseball bat was recovered on Penn Street, close to the scene where Mr Soyoye was attacked on Birchenall Street. It was said to have 'visually matched the one carried by Valdo De-Almeida'.
Jurors also heard live evidence from Mark Safranauskas of Greater Manchester Police, who presented CCTV footage recovered in the case.
Before one video clip was played, said to have been filmed after the fatal attack, lead prosecution counsel Andrew Haslam KC asked the witness: "What is it that the jury are going to see in this footage?"
Mr Safranauskas said: "13 individuals running along Ebsworth Street from the general direction of Birchenall Street, turning right onto Penn Street."
Mr Safranauskas claimed he could distinguish Mr De Almeida on the footage from his footwear. He said he could not distinguish the other three defendants but claimed they had also been present.
Mr Candiza, of Appleby Walk, Royton, Oldham; Mr De-Almeida, of Brierley Street, Oldham; Mr Veiga, of Burnsall Grove, Royton, Oldham; and Mr Teta, of Chestnut Crescent, Oldham; all deny murder and violent disorder.
