A 17-year-old teenager who can’t be named, has been convicted of murder after a swift investigation by detectives saw him charged with the offence within three days. He was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of murder and possession of a bladed article.
The teenager stabbed 16-year-old Renell Charles to death on a busy east London street as the victim waited for a bus.
Victim - Renell Charles
Victim - Renell Charles
At around 16.00hrs on Friday, 5 May, Renell was sat at a bus stop on Markhouse Road in Walthamstow E17 with friends when he was approached by the defendant who had jumped out of a taxi after spotting him.
Following a brief verbal altercation between Renell and the defendant, Renell attempted to run away from him, but the defendant gave chase. He was able to catch up with him and stabbed him twice – the second time as Renell lay defenceless on the ground.
As the defendant ran from the scene Renell got up, but collapsed nearby. Officers and LAS attended and provided medical assistance, but sadly Renell died a short time later.
Following the incident, the defendant took deliberate steps to try and evade capture, immediately changing his clothes and swapping SIM cards. On the night of the murder instead of returning to his home in Newham, he stayed in Clapton, so when detectives turned up at his house on Saturday 6 May he wasn't there.
Then, in the early hours of Monday, 8 May, he attended Forest Gate police station claiming to be confused as to why police had attended his address days earlier. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged later that day.
After initially providing a “no comment” interview, he later claimed that he was in fear of the victim and had simply acted in self-defence.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers said: “My thoughts today are with Renell’s family and loved ones. Nothing will ease their pain, but I hope it is of some comfort to them that his killer has been brought to justice. The defendant – just a child himself - subjected Renell to a brutal attack over a minor dispute on a busy road in view of countless witnesses.
"This is yet another example of a willingness by some to carry and use knives to resolve issues with seemingly no care or thought for the consequences. Such senseless acts of violence will never cease to shock us all, and in this case made all the more tragic given Renell was so young.
"The defendant’s attempt to justify his actions as an act of self-defence were contradicted by both CCTV and witnesses, both of which confirmed that he chased Renell before stabbing him. I thank the jury for rightly seeing through his lies.”
The 17-year-old teenager will be sentenced on Thursday, 14 March.