Teen robber guilty of murder of 16-year-old boy for a mobile phone in Tottenham

A teenage robber has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a 16-year-old boy in the leg for the sake of a mobile phone. Stelios Averkiou was sitting on a park bench with two friends when he was targeted by Kyi-Riece Sylvester on August 1, last year. Sylvester, 18, stabbed him in the thigh and ran off with the victim’s mobile phone, the Old Bailey was told. His associate Leon Gruber, also 18, had made off on a bicycle belonging to one of Stelios’ friends, jurors were told.

'Massive blood loss' Jacob Hallam KC had said: “The prosecution say both defendants acted as a team to rob those they came across. In the park, on August 1, they decided to rob Stelios Averkiou and those he was with. “When they met with resistance from Stelios Averkiou, Sylvester stabbed him a number of times. “Despite the prompt attendance of the emergency services, the wound caused to Stelios Averikou was so severe that it caused him massive blood loss. He fell into unconsciousness from which he never surfaced, and died in hospital on August 10.” A post-mortem examination found Stelios died from blood loss after sustaining three stab wounds to the upper thigh, with one 16.5cm deep. The incident happenedon Lordship Recreation Park in Tottenham, north London. Mr Hallam had told jurors there was no dispute the defendants robbed Stelios of his mobile phone and his friend’s bicycle or that Sylvester stabbed him. He said issues included if Sylvester meant to cause really serious harm and whether Gruber intentionally encouraged him. Gruber, of Edmonton, north London, and Sylvester, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, denied murder and an alternative offence of manslaughter. On Tuesday, Sylvester was found guilty of murder and Gruber was acquitted of both charges. Sentencing was adjourned to a date to be fixed.

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