Thug guilty of killing rival over a yoghurt pot thrown in gang fight in Stratford

 
7 April 2014
WEST END FINAL

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A teenage thug faces life imprisonment for stabbing a rival to death in front of terrified shoppers just yards from the Olympic stadium on the eve of the Games.

Two others were convicted today at the Old Bailey of violent disorder in a pitched battle in the packed Westfield shopping centre.

Liam Woodards, 24, was stabbed in the chest after glasses and a yoghurt pot were thrown between the rival gangs.

As he lay dying, around 20 youths began fighting, throwing metal chairs and brandishing two knives.

Nii-Azu Kojo Smith, 19, of Hackney Wick, was found guilty of the murder in June 2012 at the giant shopping centre next to the Olympic Park in Stratford.

The jury deliberated for nearly 67 hours over 13 days before returning their verdicts.

Danny Caton, 24 of Stratford, and Anselm Legemah, 19 of Plaistow, were convicted of violent disorder and four others were cleared of that charge. Five defendants have pleaded guilty to various other offences connected with the riot.

They will be sentenced on Monday by Judge Richard Marks QC.

Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee QC described the murder as having taken place during “a joint pitch battle.”

Opening the trial, Mr Jafferjee said it was not known if there had been a history between the two groups or whether the confrontation was “gratuitous and optimistic violence”.

But there had been “an atmosphere of menace” with “verbal posturing” between the two sides during the build-up.

At 4.20pm, the groups converged and after a number of exchanges, they moved towards some central stalls with Mr Woodards ending up amongst the rival youths.

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Mr Jafferjee said there was little doubt that Mr Woodards had been “confrontational and mouthy” in the escalating atmosphere.

A glass and a yoghurt pot had been thrown by Mr Woodard's group, then a third item, a glass or yoghurt pot landed on or near Kojo-Smith.

Mr Jafferjee said: “The deceased did not throw anything. His only crime was to have been mouthy.

“His misfortune was to be closest to Kojo-Smith who was confronting the other man just before the item landed.”

Kojo-Smith produced a knife as Mr Woodard moved away.

“In an utterly disproportionate and lethal reaction, Kojo-Smith lunged forward and stabbed the retreating Liam Woodard in the chest.

“This was as needless as it was cowardly. Mr Woodard was an easy and mouthy target.”

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