Boy accused of murder was caught taking 'Rambo-style' knife into school

21 November 2019, 15:25

A boy accused of killing a 15-year-old student had been caught with a "Rambo-style" knife at school just months earlier.

Tashaun Aird was chased down and stabbed to death in Hackney, north London, on May 1 this year.

The Old Bailey heard that he was killed after turning down membership of a local Red pitch gang.

Two fifteen-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are accused of his murder along with Romaine Williams-Reid, 18.

A teacher, who used to work at the school attended by the 15-year-old defendant, told jurors that he was responsible for "wanding" students with a metal detector before going to lessons.

The teacher told the court how on February 27, the defendant had been through security doors when the teacher approached him to search for metal objects.

He said the boy moved "sharply" towards the toilets in an "abrupt" manner and seemed to hide something in there.

The teacher followed and asked to see what it was, to which the boy replied, "nothing, nothing is there".

The witness also told the court: "He was not pleased at all.

"I informed him if he did not move out of the way I would have to call assistance from my colleagues.

"I leant back to call for colleagues. I briefly looked away. As I looked back he was seen to be concealing something behind his trousers in his waistband."

The witness continued: "I had to assess the situation again for my own safety. I hugged him as to get a better look as to what he was concealing.

"At this moment I saw what I can only describe as a large Rambo-style knife in a sheath."

The teacher said the knife had a four-inch handle and a seven inch blade.

They also told jurors about a "brief tussle" between the two.

When the member of staff asked him to hand it over, the boy allegedly said: "No, I can't give it to you, it's not mine."

When the teacher said he had to, as it was an illegal weapon, the boy said: "I can't give you it, it's not mine. Just let me leave", jurors heard.

The witness said: "As no colleagues assisted me, I made the decision that it would be in my best interests to let him as he was physically larger, taller and bigger than me."

The boy was later excluded from school for five days.

Williams-Reid, from Romford, east London, and two 15-year-old boys have denied murder, wounding another boy with intent and possession of a knife.