A MAN accused of murdering Shakilus Townsend claimed he was trying to leave his gang life behind just one week before the teenager's death, a court has heard.

Danny McLean, allegedly part of the Shine My Nine gang, told a friend of his girlfriend that he was planning to move to Stevenage to get away from "all this gang stuff" a week before the attack which killed Shakilus.

McLean is accused along with six others of murdering the 16-year-old from Deptford, who died on July 4 last year after being attacked in Thornton Heath the previous day.

His 16-year-old girlfriend, who cannot be named, is also accused of the murder having allegedly "set up" Shakilus, with who she was two-timing McLean.

A friend of hers, who also cannot be named, gave evidence from behind a screen at the Old Bailey today (April 24).

The witness admitted that she had told McLean that his girlfriend was cheating on him with Shakilus but had not told this to the police when she was interviewed.

She told the court that her friend only wanted Shakilus "for his money".

But the girlfriend's defence lawyer Jeremy Dein said his client wanted to split up with McLean at the time of the attack.

He said: "She was worried to tell Danny that she didn't want to go out with him anymore wasn't she?"

Mr Dein went on: "The truth is that she was nowhere near as obsessed with Danny McLean as you're making out."

And he said neither girl thought that the plan to set up Shakilus would involve weapons.

But the witness also told the court that during a phone conversation, where it was revealed McLean had been accidentally hit with a baseball bat during the attack, the accused girl was "kind of laughing about it."

Shakilus died after being beaten, kicked, hit with a baseball bat and stabbed.

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

Also accused are the 16-year-old girl and three 17-year-old boys who cannot be named for legal reasons. They also deny murder.

The trial continues.