'Gatecrashers' brutal killing of young man'

10 February 2010

A "MARAUDING pack" of armed teenagers beat and stabbed a defenceless man to death after gatecrashing a birthday party in Beckton, the Old Bailey heard.

The cowardly gang attacked guests with hammers, axes, garden shears, bricks and knives before surrounding terrified David Cauchi-Lechmere, 20, jurors heard.

They knocked him to the ground before stamping on his head. He was then held down while one of the thugs fatally stabbed him in the chest, the court heard.

Revellers tried to save him, but his heart had already stopped and, despite emergency surgery on the blood-stained street, Mr Cauchi-Lechmere died in hospital.

Eight men aged 18 to 20 and all from Beckton deny murder.

Prosecutor David Wright said the gang approached Mr Cauchi-Lechmere and his friends who were on their way to a party in Henry Adlington Close, off Winsor Terrace, on July 11 last year.

They spotted them getting off the Docklands Light Railway at Beckton.

The gang were reluctantly allowed into the party where they started to cause trouble, the court heard.

The prosecutor said: "The atmosphere was degenerating. It was decided to end the party and the police were called to help disperse the guests."

When police spoke to the father of the birthday girl, he insisted that the gang had behaved themselves in the house and reassured them that everything was under control. The officers then left on an emergency call. But the gang turned violent again and trouble spilled into the street.

The gang started attacking anyone who got in their way before turning on Mr Cauchi-Lechmere, jurors heard.

The prosecutor said: "Mr Cauchi-Lechmere was surrounded by them. He threw a brick and tried to run to the house but they engulfed him."

Mr Cauchi-Lechmere, from Shadwell, the youngest of seven children, died at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel 13 hours later from puncture wounds to the torso.

The trial continues.

Full story in this week's Recorder