A 14-year-old boy charged with murdering a schoolboy outside a pizzeria was remanded in custody today.
Fares Maatou, 15, died after being stabbed and struck over the head repeatedly with an iron bar during a fight outside Zzetta Soul Fired Pizza in Canning Town, east London.
Fares’ attackers are said to have made off with his e-scooter as he lay dying outside the restaurant in Barking Road on Friday. He was pronounced dead at 4.30pm, just over 30 minutes after the attack.
Four teenagers have been arrested, including the 14-year-old boy who appeared at Stratford Youth Court today charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
The alleged killer, who cannot be named, was wearing a grey tracksuit, speaking only to confirm his name and date of birth as his father and stepmother watched from the public gallery.
Fares Maatou, 15, died after being stabbed and struck over the head repeatedly with an iron bar during a fight outside Zzetta Soul Fired Pizza in Canning Town, east London
People place flowers at the scene in Barking Road, East Ham, where 14-year-old Fares Maatou was knifed to death on Friday
He was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Wednesday. Two 15-year-olds have been released on bail and a third remains in custody.
Fares, whose family is originally from Algeria, has an older sister Amira and a brother. His father is in hospital critically ill with coronavirus and awoke from a coma six weeks ago.
Fares, an aspiring engineer, is the 11th teenager to be knifed to death in the capital this year.
DCI Perry Benton, Met Police Specialist Crime, said: ‘I spoke yesterday about how local people have provided fantastic support to our investigation and given us a good deal of information. This has continued over the weekend, and once again I thank them for that.
‘Every piece of information could be vital, so I continue to appeal for anyone who knows anything and any witnesses who have yet to speak with police to please come forward.
‘I have assured Fares’s family of my total commitment to bringing to justice those responsible for this senseless killing. They will be supported by specialist officers at every stage of what will be a terrible ordeal for them in the weeks, months and years ahead.
‘This remains a fast-moving investigation and there will be further developments.’
Prosecutor Sulochana Singh outlined the incident leading to Fares’s death during the hearing at Stratford Youth Court/
Ms Singh said: ‘On 23 April at 3.56pm police were called to Barking Road. There had been a fight, a 15-year-old had a penetrated stab wound to his upper body.
‘Shortly afterwards, he was pronounced extinct.
Fares’ attackers are said to have made off with his e-scooter as he lay dying outside the restaurant in Barking Road on Friday. He was pronounced dead at 4.30pm
‘The investigation soon began in relation to this matter. Witnesses are still being sought and there are two suspects still outstanding.
‘My understanding is that the victim was in the company of another youth on Barking Road and he was riding an electric scooter.
‘Also on Barking Road was this particular defendant and three others. All were initially walking in the same direction.
‘CCTV shows them crossing the road, and the victim appears to head in the opposite direction. It’s believed this is when he called his friend to say he was afraid.
‘His friend’s phone died out soon after the call began. They were travelling along Barking Road and the outstanding suspect had a knife cane in his hand.
‘This defendant and three others came close to the other youth who was with the victim. There appears to be a friendly physical engagement, fist-pumping each other, before striking the victim.
‘This defendant then punches him in the face.
‘The defendant retreats behind the group and the other youth flees to the side of the group. One suspect appears to attempt to stab him.
‘This person reacts by pulling out a sword. He drops the metal sheath and this defendant focused his attention on the victim.
‘This is a 15-year-old who doesn’t have a weapon – he has a phone.
‘The person with the knife fled on Barking Road. Another person picked up the scooter and began to ride it along Barking Road.
‘The 15-year-old expired from the wound to the upper body. It was 11cm in depth and 3-and-a-half cm in width.
‘He (the defendant) was interviewed twice and made no comment on both times. He later said to police he acted in self-defence.’
