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| How lovestruck boy was lured to his death | How lovestruck boy was lured to his death |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Chris Summers BBC News | By Chris Summers BBC News |
| A teenage girl has been convicted of murdering a 16-year-old boy who she had lured into a "honey trap". | A teenage girl has been convicted of murdering a 16-year-old boy who she had lured into a "honey trap". |
| Shakilus Townsend would still be alive today if it had not been for a teenage temptress who toyed with his emotions and then betrayed him. | Shakilus Townsend would still be alive today if it had not been for a teenage temptress who toyed with his emotions and then betrayed him. |
| Shakilus was mourned on the Bebo website | Shakilus was mourned on the Bebo website |
| The 16-year-old became infatuated with Samantha Joseph and it would be his downfall. | The 16-year-old became infatuated with Samantha Joseph and it would be his downfall. |
| Joseph, who was 15 at the time, already had a boyfriend, 18-year-old Danny McLean, but that did not stop her flirting with Shakilus and making him believe she was his girlfriend. | Joseph, who was 15 at the time, already had a boyfriend, 18-year-old Danny McLean, but that did not stop her flirting with Shakilus and making him believe she was his girlfriend. |
| See a map of the crime scene | |
| In court she insisted she had never had sex with Shakilus, or even kissed him, but admitted she was "cheating" on McLean with the younger boy. | In court she insisted she had never had sex with Shakilus, or even kissed him, but admitted she was "cheating" on McLean with the younger boy. |
| Joseph admitted under cross-examination she had been bored with McLean, who just used her for sex and never took her out or bought her presents, whereas Shakilus showered her with attention and offered to buy her gifts, including a dog. | Joseph admitted under cross-examination she had been bored with McLean, who just used her for sex and never took her out or bought her presents, whereas Shakilus showered her with attention and offered to buy her gifts, including a dog. |
| 'Honey trap' | 'Honey trap' |
| When McLean found out, he was furious and wanted to dump her. But she persuaded him she loved him and offered to lure Shakilus into a "honey trap". | When McLean found out, he was furious and wanted to dump her. But she persuaded him she loved him and offered to lure Shakilus into a "honey trap". |
| Giving evidence Joseph even claimed that shortly before he was killed Shakilus had warned her McLean had been in contact with him and wanted to set her up so that she would get beaten up. | Giving evidence Joseph even claimed that shortly before he was killed Shakilus had warned her McLean had been in contact with him and wanted to set her up so that she would get beaten up. |
| She had told a friend: "Either I get the beats, or he gets the beats." | She had told a friend: "Either I get the beats, or he gets the beats." |
| He was crying for his mother and he was frightened, telling those around him he did not want to die Brian Altman QC Honey trap girl guilty of murder | |
| As they travelled on a bus together, through south London, Joseph chatted on her mobile phone to her friend, who was known by some as her cousin although they were not related. | As they travelled on a bus together, through south London, Joseph chatted on her mobile phone to her friend, who was known by some as her cousin although they were not related. |
| Shakilus, who was often known as Shak or Shaki, could only hear half of the conversation. | Shakilus, who was often known as Shak or Shaki, could only hear half of the conversation. |
| At one point her friend asked her: "Are you getting Shak set?" | At one point her friend asked her: "Are you getting Shak set?" |
| She replied: "Yes". | She replied: "Yes". |
| Then the friend overheard Shakilus, perhaps becoming suspicious, asking Joseph: "I hope you and your cousin aren't getting me set." | Then the friend overheard Shakilus, perhaps becoming suspicious, asking Joseph: "I hope you and your cousin aren't getting me set." |
| She replied: "Do you really think I'd do that?" | She replied: "Do you really think I'd do that?" |
| A few minutes later they got off the bus in Thornton Heath and he was ambushed by McLean and his friends, members of the local Shine My Nine (SMN) gang. | A few minutes later they got off the bus in Thornton Heath and he was ambushed by McLean and his friends, members of the local Shine My Nine (SMN) gang. |
| It is thought up to a dozen youths were involved in the attack on Shakilus. | It is thought up to a dozen youths were involved in the attack on Shakilus. |
| He was punched, kicked, beaten about the head with a baseball bat and stabbed several times. | He was punched, kicked, beaten about the head with a baseball bat and stabbed several times. |
| 'Crying for his mother' | 'Crying for his mother' |
| Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said: "He was struggling to breathe and when others went to his aid, Shakilus fell into unconsciousness. Just before doing so he was crying for his mother and he was frightened, telling those around him he did not want to die." | Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said: "He was struggling to breathe and when others went to his aid, Shakilus fell into unconsciousness. Just before doing so he was crying for his mother and he was frightened, telling those around him he did not want to die." |
| Joseph texts on her phone as she lures Shakilus to his death | |
| But he had suffered a mortal injury to his liver, inflicted almost certainly by McLean. | But he had suffered a mortal injury to his liver, inflicted almost certainly by McLean. |
| Joseph would later claim to police she had left Shakilus at the bus stop but an eyewitness reported seeing her, wearing a distinctive orange flowery dress, with the gang shortly after the attack. The SMN gang were known to wear orange bandannas and clothing. | Joseph would later claim to police she had left Shakilus at the bus stop but an eyewitness reported seeing her, wearing a distinctive orange flowery dress, with the gang shortly after the attack. The SMN gang were known to wear orange bandannas and clothing. |
| In the melee McLean had been hit on the head by a baseball bat wielded by one of his friends. | In the melee McLean had been hit on the head by a baseball bat wielded by one of his friends. |
| Joseph agreed to go along with a false story he concocted - that he had been injured after being attacked by another gang, known as Don't Say Nothing (DSN), at exactly the same time as Shakilus was killed. | Joseph agreed to go along with a false story he concocted - that he had been injured after being attacked by another gang, known as Don't Say Nothing (DSN), at exactly the same time as Shakilus was killed. |
| He said he was really in love with this girl, that she was to be his future wife and that she was going to have his kids Nicola Dyer | |
| Shakilus had paid the ultimate price for falling in love with the wrong girl. | Shakilus had paid the ultimate price for falling in love with the wrong girl. |
| His mother, Nicola Dyer, told detectives he had been "smitten" with the girl and said she was his "future wife". | His mother, Nicola Dyer, told detectives he had been "smitten" with the girl and said she was his "future wife". |
| She said he had "always had girlfriends" but for the last six weeks of his life he had been talking only about this girl. | She said he had "always had girlfriends" but for the last six weeks of his life he had been talking only about this girl. |
| 'Smitten' | 'Smitten' |
| "He said he was really in love with this girl, that she was to be his future wife and that she was going to have his kids - he was really smitten with her. | "He said he was really in love with this girl, that she was to be his future wife and that she was going to have his kids - he was really smitten with her. |
| "Shaki showed me pictures on his mobile phone and I remember thinking she really is pretty and nice to look at," she said. | "Shaki showed me pictures on his mobile phone and I remember thinking she really is pretty and nice to look at," she said. |
| McLean and five other youths were also convicted of murder on Wednesday. Ms Dyer wept as the guilty verdicts were read out. | McLean and five other youths were also convicted of murder on Wednesday. Ms Dyer wept as the guilty verdicts were read out. |
| Joseph claimed she was unaware Shakilus might be killed | |
| Shakilus hailed from New Cross in south east London, while Thornton Heath was the home territory of McLean and the SMN, whose name referred to a 9mm gun. | Shakilus hailed from New Cross in south east London, while Thornton Heath was the home territory of McLean and the SMN, whose name referred to a 9mm gun. |
| The court heard Shakilus had a Bebo account, under which he was known as Bugz, and on it were pages of him posing with knives. | The court heard Shakilus had a Bebo account, under which he was known as Bugz, and on it were pages of him posing with knives. |
| But Joseph told the court he was not violent and it was quite common for youths to posture and brag on their Bebo pages. | But Joseph told the court he was not violent and it was quite common for youths to posture and brag on their Bebo pages. |
| After he was killed, several of Shakilus's friends posted threatening and obscene messages on Bebo. | After he was killed, several of Shakilus's friends posted threatening and obscene messages on Bebo. |
| One said: "Remember u set up Shak you bitch. And he loved Yoooh." | One said: "Remember u set up Shak you bitch. And he loved Yoooh." |
| The girl told the court she was aware of these threats and was scared of retaliation by friends of Shakilus. | The girl told the court she was aware of these threats and was scared of retaliation by friends of Shakilus. |
| Joseph now faces a life sentence and will have plenty of time to mull over the part she played in the death of an innocent boy. | Joseph now faces a life sentence and will have plenty of time to mull over the part she played in the death of an innocent boy. |
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