A 17-YEAR-old has been convicted of murder after teenager waiting at a bus stop was stabbed to death in east London.

The teenager, who can’t be named, stabbed 16-year-old Renell Charles to death in broad daylight, on a busy street in Walthamstow, as the victim waited for a bus last year.

At around 4pm on Friday, 5 May Renell was sat at a bus stop on Markhouse Road, with friends when he was approached by the offender who had jumped out of a taxi after seeing him.

The two had a brief verbal altercation and Renell – who was a popular pupil at nearby Kelmscott School – attempted to run away, but was chased.

The 17-year-old was able to catch up with him and stabbed him twice – the second time as Renell lay defenceless on the ground.

As the defendant ran from the scene Renell got up, but collapsed nearby.

Officers and London Ambulance Services attended and provided medical assistance, but sadly Renell died a short time later.

Changing clothes

Following the incident, the defendant took deliberate steps to try and evade capture, immediately changing his clothes and swapping SIM cards.

On the night of the murder instead of returning to his home in Newham, he stayed in Clapton, so when detectives turned up at his house on Saturday 6 May he wasn’t there.

Then, in the early hours of Monday, 8 May, he attended Forest Gate police station claiming to be confused as to why police had attended his address days earlier. He was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged later that day.

After initially providing a “no comment” interview, he later claimed that he was in fear of the victim and had simply acted in self-defence.

The 17-year-old, who is from Plaistow, was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of Renell’s murder and possession of a bladed article.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers said: “My thoughts today are with Renell’s family and loved ones. Nothing will ease their pain, but I hope it is of some comfort to them that his killer has been brought to justice. The defendant – just a child himself – subjected Renell to a brutal attack over a minor dispute on a busy road in view of countless witnesses.

“This is yet another example of a willingness by some to carry and use knives to resolve issues with seemingly no care or thought for the consequences. Such senseless acts of violence will never cease to shock us all, and in this case made all the more tragic given Renell was so young.

“The defendant’s attempt to justify his actions as an act of self-defence were contradicted by both CCTV and witnesses, both of which confirmed that he chased Renell before stabbing him. I thank the jury for rightly seeing through his lies.”

He will be sentenced on March 14.