JURORS in the Shakilus Townsend murder trial have heard how one of the seven people accused of killing him is “not a cold blooded murderer”.

Speaking today at the Old Bailey, defence lawyer Icah Peart summed up on behalf of his 17-year-old client, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Responding to prosecution claims that the youth had been searching the internet for information on stab proof vests shortly before the killing, Mr Peart said: “Yes this is true - he was searching the web.

“But this in no way proves that he was preparing for an attack on Shakilus.

“But what does it say about the sort of danger he thought he might be in when meeting with Shakilus?

“In fact the search shows that he must have feared a knife attack on himself.”

He added: “My client is a very ordinary young man.

"Perhaps not the smartest, and not without his flaws, but he is not a cold-blooded murderer.”

It is alleged that Shakilus, of Tanners Hill, Deptford, was set upon by members of the Shine My Nine (SMN) gang and that they beat him with a baseball bat, kicked him and stabbed him several times with one or more knives on July 3 last year.

Shakilus had been going out with a 15-year-old girl who was also seeing one of the accused, Danny McLean.

The prosecution say the girl, now 16, acted as a honey trap, luring Shakilus to Beulah Crescent in Thornton Heath to be ambushed and attacked by the accused.

McLean, aged 18, and Tyrell Ellis, aged 19, both from Thornton Heath, and Andre Johnson-Haynes, aged 18, of Croydon, deny murder.

Also charged with murder are a 16-year-old girl and three 17-year-old boys who cannot be named for legal reasons.

They all deny the charges.

The trial continues.