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Gang members stabbed boy, 16, to death in front of his mum as she ‘begged’ for his life

 Jordan Tcheuko, 19, (L) and Romain LaPierre, 20, were jailed for the killing. (PA)
Jordan Tcheuko, 19, (L) and Romain LaPierre, 20, were jailed for the killing. (PA)

Gang members who stabbed a 16-year-old boy to death in front of his mum while she “begged” for his life have been jailed.

Teenager Camron Smith was unarmed and in his underwear when attackers stormed into his home in Croydon last summer, the Old Bailey was told.

Romain LaPierre, 20, of no fixed abode, was found guilty of Camron’s murder and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years.

Jordan Tcheuko, 19, from Wembley, was convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 15 years.

Camron Smith was fatally stabbed at his home in Croydon. (PA)
Camron Smith was fatally stabbed at his home in Croydon. (PA)

Camron’s fatal stabbing came amid a crime wave on the streets of Croydon, south London, overnight on 30 June and 1 July last year.

The motivation for the attack was revenge for the earlier stabbing of one of their members and Camron was targeted because he was considered a “grass”, the court heard.

The attackers had set out on a moped and a minicab car they had hijacked.

They entered two other addresses in rapid succession before storming into Camron’s home with knives, masks and gloves.

Camron was chased into his mother’s bedroom, where he sustained eight stab wounds.

Judge Michael Kay KC said: “This is yet another harrowing and depressing tale of gang-related violence culminating in the barbaric killing of a young man.

“The victim was Camron Smith who was aged just 16. He was stabbed to death in his mother’s bedroom while she desperately tried to ward off the attack.

“In giving evidence she told the court she was begging the attackers to kill her rather than her son.”

Ringleader LaPierre had thrust a zombie knife into Camron’s stomach during the incident.

Tcheuko had been “side by side” with LaPierre, kicking down the front door, chasing Camron upstairs and forcing the bedroom door, the judge said.

The Central Criminal Court, also known as the Old Bailey, on Old Bailey, central London.
The killers were jailed at the Old Bailey in central London. (PA)

Camron’s mother had been left “broken hearted” by the loss of her only child and cannot face returning to their home, the judge said.

He praised the “admirable” conduct of LaPierre’s father, who went to police after his son confessed to him.

Jailing LaPierre for life, Judge Kay told him: “You are a brutal and callous killer and I anticipate you will remain an extremely dangerous person for many years.”

LaPierre was also sentenced to nine years concurrent for the robbery of the minicab.

University student Sako Amoniba-Burnley, 21, from Norbury, was found guilty of robbery and jailed for seven years.

The court heard how LaPierre had previous convictions for carrying knives, including a Samurai sword, machete and hunting knife.

The judge said LaPierre and others had been in a gang involved in drug dealing in Thornton Heath, south London.