Four found guilty of murder, two acquitted after fatal stabbing in Harold Wood
Daniel Laskos died on May 7 in Harold Wood. - Credit: Met Police
Four men have been found guilty of murdering 16-year-old Daniel Laskos in Harold Wood.
Joshua Kerr, 19, of Birchanger Road, South Norwood; Callum Hands, 20, of Vincent Road, Dagenham; Rakeem Green-Matthews, 19, of Gulderose Road, Harold Wood; and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named were convicted at the Old Bailey today (April 1).
An address at Armstrong Avenue, Woodford Green, has previously been provided for Kerr.
Daniel was fatally stabbed in the neck outside Church Road News and Wine convenience store on May 7 last year.
His killing was one of 30 teen homicides in London during 2021, the highest level since records began in 2003.
The four convicted were among six people on trial for murder, a charge which they all denied.
Two other men from Harold Wood were acquitted - Loushawn Barnes, 19, and Renee Saint Ange, 18.
They were found not guilty of murder or manslaughter.
The 16-year-old boy had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter; this plea was not accepted by the prosecution.
Det Ch Insp Dave Whellams of the Met’s specialist crime command led the investigation into Daniel's killing.
Following the verdict, he said: “We still don’t know what the circumstances were that motivated this murder.
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"What we do know is that a family is changed forever and continues to struggle to come to terms with their loss. Our thoughts are with them today.
“We also know that four young men will forfeit their futures as a result."
Referencing the CCTV footage that was played to jurors in the proceedings, Det Ch Insp Whellams continued: "The footage clearly showed Daniel Laskos standing on the pavement with a friend on Church Road when the suspects approached them.
"Pulling knives and a baton from their clothing they charged them. Daniel and his friend instinctively tried to back away, but were caught and stabbed in a targeted, frenzied attack."
The four convicted men are due to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday (April 7).
