ALL seven youths charged with the murder of 16-year-old Shakilus Townsend share responsibility for his death, a court has heard.

Shakilus died after he was allegedly attacked by members of the Shine My Nine gang just after 1.30pm on July 3 last year in Thornton Heath.

Tyrell Vito Ellis, aged 19, and 18-year-olds Danny McLean, both from Thornton Heath, and Andre Johnson-Haynes from Croydon all deny murder.

A 16-year-old girl and three 17-year-old boys who cannot be named for legal reasons also deny the charge.

Prosecuting Brian Altman told the Old Bailey today (April 23) that Shakilus, of Tanners Hill, Deptford, had been attacked after one of the accused, Danny McLean found out his girlfriend had been cheating on him with the teenager.

And he said the attack was also carried out in revenge for a fight involing Shakilus and another one of the accused the year before.

Mr Altman said: "McLean called on the loyalty of the youths in the gang."

He added McLean's girlfriend, who cannot be named, was to show him "true penitence by luring Shakilus to a location where the attack could take place" and "playing her part to perfection".

The other youths wore masks over their faces and either helped attack Shakilus, pursued him or acted as lookouts, the court heard.

Witnesses heard members of the group shouting "get him", Mr Altman said.

And he said one of the accused was "hardly concealing the baseball bat he was carrying on his back" while the others were in no doubt at least one of them was carrying a knife.

He said: "These defendants were in it together."

Mr Altman added: "The way this group behaved both before, during, and indeed after the attack demonstrated that they all shared a planned intent to attack Shakilus Townsend and to cause him at the very least really serious bodily harm."

The court was told that a baseball bat was used to hit Shakilus before he was stabbed fatally in the abdomen, lacerating the boy's liver.

After their arrests, the defendants denied taking part in the attack.

McLean told police he had been attacked that day himself by a rival gang which Mr Altman described as "a complete fiction."

At McLean's house police found orange and red bandanas, two baseball bats, blood-stained towels and letters where the defendant referred to himself via the street name 'Tamper'.

And at Ellis' house, part of a chain was found very similar to the one Shakilus was wearing on the day he died.

The court was also told how many of the defendants' phones and sim cards "appear to have been lost or disposed of shortly after the murder."

Mr Altman said this was "remarkable."

He said: "It indicates how they'd acted in concert, as a group."

The trial continues.