Two charged with Shaquille murder

1:36pm Friday 5th September 2008

Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a 14-year-old schoolboy stabbed while sitting on a bench outside his home, police said.

Shaquille Smith was killed in Hackney, east London, on Saturday.

Godiowe Dufeal, 19, of Well Street, east London, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons will appear before Thames Magistrates' Court, in London.

Police also arrested two other men, aged 18 and 21, over the murder.

The youngster was sitting on the 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 and treated in hospital for her injuries.

Shaquille had been due to go back to school this week to start his GCSE studies.

He was the 25th teenager to die in attacks in London this year.

His mother, Sandra Maitland-Smith, a social worker, issued a statement earlier this week describing her son's "star quality".

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