TEENAGER Shakilus Townsend was lured to his death by gang members in a honey trap, the Old Bailey heard today (April 20).

The court heard the 16-year-old, of Tanners Hill, Deptford, was set upon by members of the Shine My Nine (SMN) gang who beat him with a baseball bat, kicked him and stabbed him several times with one or more knives on July 3 last year.

He had been going out with a 15-year-old girl who was also seeing one of the accused, Danny McLean.

The prosecution told the court that the girl, now 16, who cannot be named for legal reasons, acted as a honey trap, luring Shakilus to Beulah Crescent in Thornton Heath to be ambushed and attacked by the accused.

Shakilus was attacked by at least three people while the others acted as look-outs, the court heard.

They allege that McLean stabbed Shakilus with a knife and was accidentally hit on the back of the head by a 17-year-old boy with a baseball bat during the attack.

After he was stabbed Shakilus cried for his mother saying: “I don't want to die.”

The jury heard how the 16-year-old girl had been going out with Shakilus for about two months before he was killed.

Brian Altman, prosecuting, said: “His mother describes him as being 'really smitten' with her (the girl).

“Shakilus had described the girl to his mother as 'beautiful' and he had said to her he was in love with her - he was even saying to his mother that he wanted to marry her, that she was his 'future wife'.”

However, at the same time she was seeing McLean.

Once the defendant learned about Shakilus, the girl agreed to set him up to prove herself to McLean.

The jury heard how McLean initially said that he was not involved in the attack and had received his head wound when he was attacked by a group of men who were members of another gang called Don't Say Nothing (DSN).

Mr Alman said: “He is now prepared to admit to stabbing Shakilus Townsend but claims only when Shakilus drew out a knife."

McLean, 18, and Tyrell Ellis, 19, both from Thornton Heath, and Andre Johnson-Haynes, aged 18, of Croydon, deny murder.

Also charged with murder are a 16-year-old girl and three 17-year-old boys who cannot be named for legal reasons.

They all deny the charges.

The trial continues.