Girl, 17, murdered in gang retaliation, court told

A 17-year-old girl was shot dead in the street during a gang "ride-out" carried out in retaliation to a social media humiliation, a court has heard.

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was standing with friends on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018, when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire.

She died at the scene from internal injuries.

The court heard she was struck in the chest and collapsed as she told her friend: "I've been shot."

Marcus La Croix, 37, and Michael Clarke, 35, who both deny murder, are accused of being in a group of men who travelled into rival territory that night, before fatal shots were fired.

Prosecution barrister Jocelyn Ledward KC said the shooting was the result of a long-standing enmity between gangs in Wood Green and Northumberland Park and that Ms Melbourne-Blake may not have been the intended target.

Ms Ledward said the shooting followed a "humiliating" attack on Mr La Croix by men linked to the Northumberland Park gang, after which CCTV footage of the assault was shared on social media.

She told the Old Bailey the ride-out "was intended to result in death or serious injury - through the use of a self-loading pistol".

She said Mr La Croix from Hackney - who is also known as "Bobby Slater" - and Mr Clarke, from Luton, sought revenge the following day.

Both men deny murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The trial continues.

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