Four more teenagers arrested over Shaquille murder

Four more teenagers have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 14-year-old boy stabbed while sitting on a bench outside his home.

Three of the youths, all male, are aged 17 and one is 18. They are all being held at an east London police station.

Another teenager is due to appear in court later today charged with Shaquille Smith's murder. The 17-tear-old youth from the Hackney area, who has not been named, will appear in custody at Thames Magistrates' Court this morning.

Godiowe Dufeal, 19, of Well Street, east London, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named, appeared before Thames magistrates on September 5. Dufeal and the 16-year-old were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on October 3.

On September 8 three more youths appeared before Thames magistrates charged with his murder. George Amponsah, 18, of Greenwood Road, east London, a 17-year-old and a second 16-year-old, both from Hackney, were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on December 12.

Shaquille was sitting on a 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 in the attack and treated in hospital. Shaquille had been due to go back to school in the first week of September to start his GCSE studies. He was the 25th teenager to die in attacks in London this year.

Six people have been charged with Shaquille's murder to date.