West Ham Park stabbing: Murder-accused teen refuses to attend court

A youth accused of stabbing a 16-year-old boy in the heart with a sword has refused to attend his first appearance at the Old Bailey.

Police were called to West Ham Park in Newham to a reported stabbing on the afternoon of Sunday July 9.

Rahaan Ahmed Amin was treated at the scene and transferred to an east London hospital where he died the next day.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of his death was a stab wound to the heart.

On Thursday July 13, a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was charged with Rahaan’s murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

It is alleged he went to the scene on a bicycle with a Ninja-style foot-long red sword which was found discarded in bushes.

On Tuesday (July 18), the defendant did not attend his first Crown Court appearance at the Old Bailey before Judge Richard Marks but was represented by a barrister.

The court was told he had refused because he did not want to lose his place at Oakhill youth detention.

Judge Marks continued the hearing in his absence and set a plea hearing for October 3 and a provisional two-week trial from April 29 next year.

The defendant was remanded into custody.

Reporting by PA.