Girl shot dead after man 'slighted', court told

The victim, Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, may not have been the intended target

A 17-year-old girl killed in a drive-by shooting in north London might not have been the intended target, a court has heard.

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was standing on a pavement when she died in April 2018 after a "slight" linked to gang rivalry.

Michael Clarke, 36, is accused of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, but denied all charges.

Opening the case at the Old Bailey, Jocelyn Ledward KC said Ms Melbourne-Blake was shot during a ride-out from neighbouring Wood Green into Northumberland Park.

Ms Ledward said there had been "longstanding enmity" and territorial rivalry between criminal gangs, particularly the Northumberland Park Killers (NPK) and the Wood Green Mob (WGM).

Jurors heard the shooting was linked to an incident involving Mr Clarke's friend Marcus La Croix, who was beaten up during the early hours outside a diner by four men with links to the NPK gang.

One of the attackers filmed the assault before the footage was widely shared on social media.

Ms Ledward described Mr La Croix as so close to Mr Clarke, the defendant "would be prepared to, and was the first to, act in the event that La Croix was attacked or publicly humiliated – and that is precisely what he did."

A self-loading pistol was discharged three times in Chalgrove Road, and Mr Clarke was allegedly in the vehicle from which the fatal shot was fired - which he denied.

Jurors heard the NPK group, which was associated with the colour purple and known as "Sin Squad", operated in Northumberland Park and Tottenham Hale.

The WGM used with the colour green, and their territory bordered NPK's turf further west.

Ms Ledward told the court: "The disputes between the two rival groups took the form of a series of violent tit-for-tat incidents, stabbings and shootings, some of them fatal, and were at their height in the period 2016-2020."

The trial continues.