Three more charged with murder of Shaquille Smith

Three teenagers will appear in court tomorrow charged with the murder of a 14-year-old boy stabbed while sitting on a bench outside his home.

Shaquille Smith was killed in Hackney, east London, last weekend.

George Amponsah, 18, of Greenwood Road, east London, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old, both from the Hackney area will appear before Thames magistrates on Monday.

The latest arrests bring the total number of people charged with his murder to five,

Two others charged with Shaquille's murder - Godiowe Dufeal, 19, of Well Street, east London, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named - appeared in court last week.

Dufeal and the 16-year-old were remanded in custody to appear at the Central Criminal Court on 3 October.

Shaquille was sitting on the bench in St Thomas's Place when he was surrounded by a group of around 15 youths just before midnight, witnesses said.

He was stabbed in the stomach and died at 8am the next day in hospital.

His sister Tahira, 16, was also stabbed and treated in hospital.

Shaquille had been due to go back to school this week to start his GCSE studies.

He was the 25th teenager to die in attacks in London this year.

His mother, Sandra Maitland-Smith, a social worker, issued a statement describing her son's "star quality".

She said: "He had a unique character and common touch that would have both taken him to the top and maintained him in that position.

"He was a tough individual with a lot of drive, with an easy going and pleasurable loving nature."