Gang members accused of the murder of two teenage boys at a girl’s birthday party in Milton Keynes fled the city after the attack, a jury heard on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
The West Bletchley gang, called B3, are said to have been tipped off that rivals from “M4” in the city were at the party on the night of Saturday October 19 last year.
Luton crown court heard they were masked and armed when they “invaded” the home in Archford Croft, Emerson Valley after jumping over a rear fence.
Dom Anseh, 17, and Ben Gilliam-Rice, also 17, were killed and two other males were injured.
Prosecutor Charlotte Newell QC said: “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. One stab wound went through his chest and penetrated his heart and he died almost immediately.
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 that had incised his lung.
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.
Miss Newell said it was the prosecution’s case that two “particular incidents” had “served to act as a catalyst” for the events of 19 October.
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.
The incident had been videoed and widely shared on social media, she said.
In April 2019 the court was told the the 16-year-old defendant had been stabbed in the buttocks.
Continuing her opening Ms Newell today (Wednesday, November 4) that at around half past midnight a neighbour heard the noise of “hyped and pumped up young men” between Braybrooke Drive and Furzton Lake.
The group is then said to have split up with Clayton Baker and Charlie Chandler getting a cab to Bletchley. Charlie Chandler is reported as saying the area was “swarming with police” and the needed to get out of Milton Keynes. They took a £65 taxi to London.
Earl Bevans and the two juveniles took a cab to Stratford Road in Old Wolverton. The 17-year-old is alleged to have said they had received at tip off from a male called Fats that M4 boys were at the party.
The 17-year-old and Earl Bevans went on to Liverpool. Later when the police seized the 16-year-old defendant’s iPad that found that somebody had been searching the local newspaper website and clicking on the murder story, said the prosecutor.
The 16-year-old is alleged to have said: “We need to get out.”
The jury heard Charlie Chandler returned to Milton Keynes and on 21st October went with his solicitor to the city police station. He did not answer police questions but gave a statement in which he said he did not kill the teenagers or injure the other two
Earl Bevans was arrested on October 24, at his mother’s home in Milton Keynes.
The 17-year-old had gone on to a hotel called Fawlty Towers in Great Yarmouth where he was arrested on October 30. He told he police had a run away, but knew he was wanted and was going to hand himself in.
Clayton Barker was arrested on November 20, in Milton Keynes, having allegedly told a witness he was planning to travel to Greece in the back of a lorry.
The 16-year-old was arrested in Milton Keynes on November 14. He made no comment to police questions.
Ms Newell told the jury: “Nobody wants to see young people of this age accused of such terrible crime.
“The fact is however that two young men with their lives ahead of them, were murdered.
“The inescapable reality is that this was a co-ordinated group attack which could never have been achieved save as a group and with deadly weapons in which at least serious harm was intended to any young men who had been present at that party.
“ It is the Crown’s case that this was a joint enterprise, the activities of the group facilitating and designed to facilitate the violence that ensued.”
Evidence in the case is due to begin on Thursday.
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