Seven more on trial after ‘gang death’
LAWYER SAYS ‘DEADLY VIOLENCE’ WAS USED IN MOSS SIDE ATTACK AGAINST RIVALS
SEVEN more people have gone on trial accused of murdering Sait Mboob in Moss Side in an alleged ‘group on group’ attack featuring ‘deadly violence.’
Emil Bell, 17 at the time, was previously found guilty of 18-year-old Sait’s murder and the stabbings of three others.
Now five men and two boys have gone on trial accused of the same offences.
Laif Morgan, 22, of St Gregorys Road, Ardwick; Lequornne Morgan, 19, of St Gregory’s Close, Ardwick; Requan Brown, 19, of Higher Ardwick, Ardwick; Ryan Isaacs, 19, of Woodlands Road, Crumpsall; Husam Ghazanfar, 18, of Delahays Range, Gorton, and two 16-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny the charges at a Manchester Crown Court trial. Sait died after police were called to reports of a fight on Crosshill Street, Moss Side, in August last year.
Opening the case for the prosecution, David McLachlan QC said all the defendants apart from Mr Isaacs, who he said was on the ‘periphery,’ were part of a group called 7M. Ardwick and Longsight based 7M filmed rap videos which were published online, jurors heard.
Mr McLachlan said there was a ‘history of animosity’ between the 7M group and Sait. “He was a known target,” the QC said.
The prosecution say that on August 8, members of 7M went to Moss Side in two cars and ‘chased down their rivals.’
Mr McLachlan said: “This was a case of group-on-group violence. It was a preplanned attack. The defendants went armed with a selection of lethal weapons which included knives, machetes and at least one hammer. Most of them also took steps to disguise themselves with masks and balaclava helmets.”
The men got out of their cars and continued the chase on foot, jurors heard.
Four men including Sait were cornered and attacked, Mr McLachlan said. Sait and the other men, aged 19, 18 and 18, were punched, kicked and stabbed. Sait died from his injuries the following day.
Mr McLachlan said: “The prosecution allege that this was a joint offence committed by Emil Bell together with the other members of the group. Each of the men who took part went there, the prosecution say, with the intention of hunting down and attacking members of the rival group. They shared the common purpose of using deadly violence.”
All seven defendants deny one count of murder and three counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Proceeding