Back-from-dead teen beams as two attackers convicted

A teenager who effectively died for nearly an hour after being repeatedly stabbed in the street beamed in court as his two attackers were found guilty.

James Bascoe-Smith was 16 when he suffered life-changing injuries in a random attack in Brixton last year.

His heart stopped and he effectively died in the street near his home, only to be brought back to life by medics.

Leon Rashid, 20, and Taiquane Lewis, 18, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of conspiracy to murder.

Rashid was also convicted of having an offensive weapon.

Now using a wheelchair, James smiled broadly while surrounded by tearful family members in court as a jury convicted Rashid, of Thornton Heath, and Lewis, of Kennington, after four days of deliberations.

A third defendant, Stephanie Paez-Lopez, 20, from Clapham, burst into tears as she was cleared of assisting an offender by helping to get rid of a Range Rover used in the attack.

Previously, a fourth defendant, Patrick Fox-Pinto, 18, from Bow, was cleared of all charges after the prosecution offered no evidence.

Following the attack last February, James had FaceTimed his mother on a video call to say he had been stabbed, jurors heard.

'Pool of blood'

James, who had been doing well in his GCSEs and working as a coach at a local gym, had been out testing a bicycle for his mother.

Through a victim impact statement, Lisa Bascoe-Smith said: "My phone rang and I saw James lying on the floor.

"I sunk when I saw him in a pool of blood. I keep asking myself, 'how can it have happened in that space of a minute out of my eyesight?'"

Ms Bascoe-Smith said James had made some progress in his rehabilitation, adding: "He has gone from a sporty, carefree, happy-go-lucky boy to someone who has been bedridden and is struggling to move or communicate."

Prosecutor Edward Brown KC said: "The Range Rover deliberately drove towards him, struck him and knocked him off his bike.

"Occupants of that stolen Range Rover and the occupants of a second car, a VW Passat, got out and he was attacked, in particular by three males, each using a potentially lethal weapon... before they then sped off in the same cars."

Emergency services were alerted and paramedics arrived at 18:22 and noted stab wounds to James's left arm and gut and further injuries to the right thigh.

Before he could be taken to hospital, his heart stopped, beginning a battle to save him.

'Very nearly succeeded'

Mr Brown said: "In effect, James Bascoe-Smith had died at the scene and was only brought back to life by the immediate and significant efforts of the treating medical professionals.

"However, he had suffered a significant period during which there was a lack of blood/oxygen to the brain - possibly as much as 50 minutes."

Even though there was no reason for the attack, it was "very determined and concerted" and "very nearly succeeded" in killing the teenager, Mr Brown said.

A selection of "terrifying" knives discarded by the fleeing attackers included a combat knife, a Rambo-style blade and a Zombie-style machete.

The defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date.

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