Convictions after two young friends killed in machete attacks months apart

Two teenage friends aged just 14 and 15 were killed in gang-related machete attacks four months apart, it can now be reported.

Transcript

00:00One of the main stories we've been covering this week was the machete attack murder of

00:1114-year-old Kellyanne Bacassa by two 16-year-olds in East London who were both found guilty of

00:18murder on Friday.

00:22Now on Wednesday this week, a 17-year-old boy was found guilty of murder for a separate

00:29and unrelated machete attack on a 15-year-old boy also in East London.

00:36A boy aged 17 who cannot be named was found guilty of the murder of Dejeanne Campbell on

00:44the 22nd of September last year.

00:47Co-accused 19-year-old Marco Belaz from Abbey Wood was found not guilty of murder, but

00:55convicted of manslaughter.

00:58The two boys' murders, though not directly related, bore striking similarities and have

01:05resulted in pleas by their families to end the senseless killings.

01:11Again, despite the fact the murders were unrelated, it can now be reported that Dejeanne was friends

01:19with 14-year-old Kellyanne Bacassa.

01:23Both killings had been linked to street gang culture, with Dejeanne described as being exploited

01:31and groomed by older youths.

01:33He was allegedly targeted for a so-called gang check when he was spotted near a house the

01:42defendants were visiting.