Two teenage friends who went to a young girls birthday party at her home, were stabbed to death when members of a post code gang gate crashed the event looking for rival gang members, a court heard on Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Friends Dom Anseh, 17, and Ben Gilliam-Rice, 17, were at the party late on a Saturday night when it was “invaded” by the gang of young men and youths intent on violence, it was claimed.
Luton Crown Court was told today the group, who were all members of, or associated with a gang based in West Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bucks known as “B5,” had been tipped off that rival gang members of a gang known as “M4” were at the party being held on a Milton Keynes housing estate.
Dom and Ben, the court heard, were members or associated through friendships, of the M4 gang which took its name from the MK4 post code for Milton Keynes.
Prosecutor Charlotte Newell QC told the court members of the B5 gang arrived by taxi outside the girl’s home which was in a quiet cul-de-sac, and wearing masks and carrying weapons, crept around the side of the property.
A jury was told that they jumped over the fence into a rear garden before four or five stormed the rear of the property, armed and with their faces covered.
Opening the prosecution case against four defendants today who all plead not guilty to murdering the teenagers, Miss Newell said: “It appears likely that one member of the group also armed with a large machete or ”Rambo” knife, blocked the escape route at the front door to ensure the of attack was effective.”
Miss Newell went on: “The male party goers were targeted and the attack upon them was immediate and ferocious, they had little or no time to react and little or no chance of protecting themselves.”
Ben, who had been in the lounge when the gang burst in, was stabbed six times before he could get out of the room.
She said one stab wound went through his chest and penetrated his heart and he died almost immediately.
His friend Dom, who said the prosecutor, was a “particular focus’ for the gang, was chased out on to the street along with another youth.
Miss Newell told the jury: “Having run from the house he circled back into the street perused by two of the defendants where he slipped thereby allowing the attackers to gain ground upon him.
“He was repeatedly sliced and stabbed as he lay on the ground. Despite the very best efforts of the young party goers in the immediate aftermath and then attending paramedics and hospital staff, the wounds inflicted proved fatal and within hours he too had lost his life.”
She said he had 47 injuries including wounds to his shoulders, left arm, left leg, chest, abdomen, over his back including one which had incised his lung.
The jury was told the killings took place at a house in Archford Croft, Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes on the night of Saturday, October 19, last year.
Charlie Chandler, 22, and Clayton Barker, 20 along with two teenagers aged 17 and 16 who can’t be named because of their ages, have all pleaded not guilty to murdering the teenagers.
Mr Chandler of Fitzwilliam Street, Bletchley, Mr Barker of Surrey Road, Bletchley together with the two 16-year-olds also plead not guilty to two charges alleging they also wounded with intent a 17-year-old youth and a 23-year-old man who were at the party that night.
At the start of the trial the jury was told another man, 23-year-old Earl Bevans had pleaded guilty to two charges of the murder of Ben and Dom and two charges of wounding with intent on the other two party guests.
Continuing her outline of the prosecution’s case, Miss Newell told the jury of seven men and five women: “The party was invaded by these defendants in an armed co-ordinated group ambush upon young men they knew or believed to be present at the event and with whom there was ongoing hostility.
The result was that two young men lost their lives and two more were wounded.
The 23-year-old man who had been injured on the night had been standing by the front door when he was cut.
The 17-year-old who had fled from the house with Dom had got away, but later discovered he had been cut on his arm and torso, probably whilst still inside the house.
Miss Newell told the court: “The group arriving at the party unannounced, could not have known what resistance they may meet, but they had the confidence that they could take and maintain the upper hand by utilising the element of surprise and by arming themselves.
“It is inconceivable that anyone approaching that property, faces concealed by masks or balaclavas in an armed group to carry out a surprise revenge attack which was executed in a co-ordinated and deadly fashion, would have been in any doubt that the intention of it was to kill or cause really serious injury.”
Miss Newell said that two of defendants who had taken part in the attack were recognised by the young party goers.
The court was told that Dom Anseh, even after he had received his injuries, had not at first named his assailants and it was only as his life was slipping away in hospital that he told his mother that B3 was responsible.
Miss Newell said both Ben and Dom along with the two other injured young men were all members or associated through friendships with the M4 gang which took its name from the MK4 post code for Milton Keynes.
The defendants, she said were members or associated through friendships with the gang B3 which was again based on the post coast area for Bletchley
The jury was told the two rival gangs were behind videos which referred to the rivalry and the use of knives to cause serious injury.
Miss Newell said it was the prosecution’s case that two “particular incidents” had “served to act as a catalyst” for the events of October 19.
She said on September 7, 2017 the 17-year-old juvenile defendant had been stripped, assaulted and taunted in woodland in the Westcroft area of Milton Keynes. Amongst those responsible, Miss Newell said the boy had named Dom Anseh.
Miss Newell said the incident had been videoed and widely shared on social media.
In April 2019 the court was told the the 16-year-old defendant had been stabbed in the buttocks.
“The crown suggest therefore that the defendants had themselves a motive for the attacks at 3 Archford Croft or knew of the bad blood such that, when the time came, they were willing to act upon it in the knowledge that action would involve serious violence.”
On Tuesday afternoon, November 3, the jury heard that the teenage girl whose party it was, had been upstairs when the defendants burst into her home.
Miss Newell continuing with her opening address to the jury told them: “She heard screaming from downstairs and ran down to see Ben Gillam-Rice slumped in an armchair. There was blood everywhere”
She said another party guest was attempting to perform CPR upon him and she went on: “He had however been fatally stabbed and her efforts were in vain. None of the other boys were present when she came downstairs.
“Banging was then heard on the front door, it was Dom Ansah at the door.” said Miss Newell who told the court a friend was helping to hold him up.
“Dom was asking to be let in and saying that he had been stabbed. She opened the door. Dom was pouring with blood from a wound to his stomach and required assistance to get him into the house and on to the sofa.”
The jury heard the fatally wounded teenager asked to call his mum and was put on the phone with the loudspeaker activated so that he could speak to her.
He said: “Mum, I’ve been stabbed, I love you.”
His mum Tracy Ansah attended the scene and travelled to the hospital to see her son.
Case proceeding.
Sign up for your daily digest of local Bedfordshire news here:
https://www.bedsbulletin.com/bulletin/sign-up/
