Photo: RIP Nick Pearton facebook page
Eight young people, aged between 14 and 17, pleaded not guilty to the fatal stabbing of Sydenham teenager Nicholas Pearton when they appeared at the Old Bailey at the end of last week.
Nicholas Pearton, who was 16, was stabbed in an incident at Home Park Recreation Centre off Sydenham Road on 5 May. According to reports, he was beaten and chased by a group of youths wielding baseball balls, sticks and knives. He staggered to a nearby fast food shop to seek help but died shortly afterwards from multiple stab wounds in the arms of his mother, who had been called to the scene by Nicholas’s younger brother.
None of the teenagers, who gave their addresses variously as Bromley, Mottingham, Hither Green and Deptford, all in southeast London, can be named because of statutory restrictions protecting the identity of youths in criminal proceedings. Five of the defendants appeared via videolink from two young offender institutions. Three others appeared in the dock.
A ninth defendant, Sheldon Gordon, aged 22, of Bromley was also in court, accused of attempting to dispose of clothing belonging to suspects during the murder inquiry in May. He denied a charge of perverting the course of justice. He and one of the youths, aged 16, were released on conditional bail. The remaining seven defendants were remanded in custody. All nine are due to face trial at the Old Bailey on 6 January, in a case expected to last for at least eight weeks.
Nicholas’ parents were in court throughout the hearing.
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