A teenage drug dealer known as 'Ghost' and two young women have been sentenced for the murder of a homeless man in a vicious attack, during which they took celebratory selfies and videos.
Vicious Attack and Missed Opportunities
Anthony Marks, 51, was subjected to a brutal assault in the early hours of Saturday, 10 August 2024, near King's Cross Station. The court heard he was hit with a car bonnet, chased, stamped on, and beaten with a gin bottle. The attack was a retribution for a dispute over stolen crack cocaine within a county lines drug operation.
Mr Marks was found by Metropolitan Police officers around 5:25am with serious facial injuries and bleeding from his head. He was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, where a CT scan revealed bleeding on the brain, exacerbated by a pre-existing injury.
Despite his critical condition, Mr Marks was discharged and recalled to prison on 13 August for a licence breach. In custody, he complained of headaches and slurred speech but was not referred for a further brain scan. On 29 August, he suffered a seizure and was rushed to King's College Hospital for emergency surgery to remove a blood clot.
Selfies, Sentencing, and a Clinical Decision
Shockingly, the group of teenagers documented the night with photos and videos. Selfies showed them posing both before and after the violent assault on Mr Marks.
Medics at King's College Hospital made a clinical decision to withdraw care on 14 September 2024, after determining his injuries were unsurvivable. The absence of a next of kin to consult compounded the tragedy. A pathologist concluded the fatal brain bleed was caused by the attack five weeks prior.
At the Old Bailey, Jaidee Bingham, 18, from Dagenham – the dealer known as 'Ghost' – was found guilty of murder after the jury deliberated for 47 hours. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years.
Eymaiyah Lee Bradshaw-McKoy, 18, of Brixton, and Mia Campos-Jorge, 19, of Tottenham, were cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. Bradshaw-McKoy was sentenced to 47 months in custody, while Campos-Jorge received 42 months.
A Cycle of Violence and Failure
Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the court the attack was motivated by revenge after one of the girls, who was delivering drugs for Bingham, was robbed. They held Mr Marks, a homeless man known in the area, responsible.
While acknowledging missed medical opportunities, Mr Davies stated the assault "more than minimally contributed" to Mr Marks's death. Judge Mark Dennis KC concurred, noting the "cycle of events" leading to his death began with the unprovoked attack.
The case highlights the brutal reality of county lines exploitation and youth violence, as well as the vulnerabilities faced by homeless individuals within the justice and healthcare systems.
