Teen who killed Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke named

Sammie Shallangwa, 16, was part of a gang of five who drove from Thamesmead to Abbey Wood with the intention of killing a local boy.  

They set upon 16-year-old Charlie Bartolo and stabbed him to death, but during the violence it is said that Shallangwa accidentally fatally stabbed one of his own gang – 16-year-old Kearne Solanke. 

Despite being found guilty of two murders, Shallangwa could not be named as he was under 18. 

But the reporting restriction has now been lifted following a successful challenge by the News Shopper on Friday (February 23)

Judge Neil Garnham KC ruled: “It is important that it is widely known that young people who engage in this type of behaviour are caught, prosecuted, tried, convicted and punished appropriately. Such publicity provides a powerful means by which deterrence is delivered.” 

At the same hearing Shallangwa and 18-year-old Jake Debonsu were given life sentences with minimum terms of 18 years and 17 years respectively for the two murders. 

Hussain Bah and Alagie Jobe, both 19, had already been handed life sentences with minimum terms of 25-and-a-half years and 25 years respectively. 

Alagie Jobe and Hussain Bah, both 19 (Image: Met Police)

‘A history of knife violence'

It can now also be revealed that Shallangwa was involved in another stabbing of a 16-year-old just three weeks before Charlie and Kearne’s murders.   

On April 25, 2022, Shallangwa and another male approached the victim as he was leaving school.   

They then punched the 16-year-old in the head and when he fell to the floor they pulled out knives and stabbed him in the leg.   

The investigation into Charlie and Kearne’s murders also revealed that Shallangwa had videos and images of himself holding a zombie knife on the day before the killings.   

It can also be revealed that Debonsu had a previous conviction for possession of a bladed article.   

In prison calls Debonsu admitted that he regular carried knives.   

News Shopper previously reported that Bah and Jobe had both been involved in another violent incident in 2022. 

On April 28, 2022 Bah and Jobe were inside the chicken shop when a young male opened the door then turned to fight with another young person was behind him.”   

The fight then spilled into the street and Bah and Jobe ran outside to join in. 

“Bah’s role in that incident was to remove from his waistband a large zombie knife and lunge into the crowd indiscriminately with that knife,” Mr Jones said.   

In doing this, Bah stabbed one of his own friends in the thigh.   

Mr Jones said Bah then stayed with his friend until police arrived, and then gave them false details.   

Bah’s wounded friend was taken to hospital where he was put into an induced coma and given four blood transfusions. He remained in hospital for three weeks.   

Bah was found guilty of wounding with intent in October 2022, and was released on post-conviction bail with an electronic tag a month before Charlie and Kearne were killed. 

When Jobe was arrested for his part in the incident, police found a large knife in his bedroom.   

Kearne Solanke, who was accidentally stabbed in the violence on Sewell Road (Image: Met Police)

‘Armed to the teeth with knives’ 

On November 26, 2022, five teens “armed to the teeth” with knives and machetes were driving into Abbey Wood in a stole 4x4 with the intention of killing a local boy.   

On that evening Charlie Bartolo went for the first ride on his new motorbike, a Christmas present from his mum that had arrived a month early.   

“Charlie went out that evening an innocent 16-year-old boy enjoying a bike for the first time that he had begged me for,” said Charlie’s mum told News Shopper. 

“Before he left his smile was from ear to ear. He was so grateful and thankful. Never did I think that would be the last time I saw my boy.”     

There had been speculation locally that Charlie was targeted because he was part of a gang.   

At a previous hearing Judge Garnham said there is absolutely no evidence that this was the case.  

The judge said Charlie did nothing to provoke the attack and was out enjoying an innocent night with friends. 

Charlie and two friends were riding motorbikes on Sewell Road at around 5pm when he was deliberately rammed by the car driven by Bah. 

Kearne, Jobe and Shallangwa got out the passenger side where Charlie had fallen and used large knives to stab him as he lay defenceless on the pavement, prosecutor William Emyln Jones said.   

During the attack, which lasted less than a minute, Charlie was stabbed eight times including in the head, penetrating his brain.   

He was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after a member of the public called 999 but by 6.24pm he was dead. 

The prosecution’s case was that Kearne was accidentally stabbed by Shallangwa during the violence. 

Mr Emyln Jones said: “There’s no reason to think he meant to stab Kearne, but in the confusion and the chaos of the moment – no doubt I’m afraid, in the excitement – his knife found the wrong target 

Kearne was driven to Titmuss Avenue in Thamesmead where he was abandoned to die on the pavement.