Teenage girl shot dead in feud sparked by social media humiliation, court told

A 17-year-old girl was shot dead in the street during a gang “ride-out” carried out in retaliation to a social media humiliation, a court has heard.

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was standing with friends on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham, north London, on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018, when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire, the court heard.

Despite the efforts of neighbours and emergency services, she died at the scene from internal injuries.

The court heard she was struck in the chest and collapsed as she told her friend: “Jace, I’ve been shot.”

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC said the shooting was the result of a “long-standing enmity” between rival gangs in Wood Green and Northumberland Park.

The court that Tanesha – who died of internal blood loss – may not have been the intended target.

Marcus La Croix, 37, and Michael Clarke, 35, are accused of being among a group of men who travelled from Wood Green into rival territory that night, before fatal shots were fired.

Opening the trial at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, Ms Ledward said the shooting followed a violent attack on La Croix by men linked to the Northumberland Park gang “Sin Squad” in the early hours of April 1.

She said: “The ride-out was intended to result in death or serious injury – through the use of a self-loading pistol.

“Although Tanesha may not have been the intended target.”

Jurors were told La Croix, known to friends as “Bobby Slater”, from Hackney, had suffered a “very public humiliation” days earlier, when he was attacked by rival gang members inside a restaurant.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the assault on La Croix and his girlfriend – which was shared widely across social media.

Ms Ledward told jurors he and Clarke, known as “Da Gaffa”, from Luton, sought revenge the following day.

Both men deny murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

The Old Bailey trial continues.