Thugs who accidentally knifed one of their own gang members and left him to die after murdering another boy - as pair await sentencing
- Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke both died of knife attacks in November 2022
- Kearne was part of the group that targeted Charlie, but was stabbed himself
- Two teenagers face life in prison for the double murder
Police today released the mugshots of two teenagers who accidentally stabbed one of their own gang members to death as they murdered another boy during a ‘ride out’.
Charlie Bartolo, 16, was rammed off his motorbike by a car before five killers jumped out and stabbed him repeatedly in Sewell Road, Abbey Wood, southeast London on 26 November 2022.
One of the attackers, 16-year-old Kearne Solanke, was accidentally knifed in the shoulder by his friend as they set about Charlie.
Kearne, known as ‘Havoc’, got back into the car with his accomplices who drove a mile away to Thamesmead where they dumped the car and their friend, leaving him to die of his injuries.
The two 16-year-olds were reported dead in separate 999 calls within six minutes of each other.
Alagie Jobe (left) and Hussain Bah (right), both 19, are facing life sentences after they were convicted of murdering both boys at Inner London Crown Court last week
The two 16-year-olds, Charlie Bartolo (left) and Kearne Solanke (right) were reported dead in separate 999 calls within six minutes of each other
The killers were members of Thamesmead’s T-Block gang involved in a postcode feud with rivals from Abbey Wood.
Alagie Jobe and Hussain Bah, both 19, are facing life sentences after they were convicted of murdering both boys at Inner London Crown Court last week.
Two other teenagers, aged 17 and 16, were also found guilty of the two murders by a jury.
Bah and Jobe will be sentenced on 7 February while the other boys, who cannot be named, will be sentenced on 23 February.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones, KC, had told the court emergency services were called to Sewell Road at 5.05pm after Charlie was attacked.
‘Charlie was found to have suffered multiple stab wounds, including a large stab wound to his head.
‘He was taken from the scene to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, but despite the best efforts of emergency medical staff, Charlie died from his injuries at 6.24pm.
‘At 5.11pm, so just six minutes after the 999 call had been made in respect of Charlie Bartolo, another 999 call was made, and another ambulance was requested.
On November 16, 2023, Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke lost their lives after sustaining stab injuries
The incident unfolded when Kearne Solanke, allegedly part of a group of five individuals, intentionally knocked Charlie off his moped using a 4x4 vehicle and then proceeded to stab him in the head
‘This time the call was to attend Titmuss Avenue, in Thamesmead, only about one mile away from where Charlie Bartolo had been found.
‘On this second 999 call the caller said that a 16-year-old had been stabbed and was bleeding heavily.’
‘This 16-year-old was named Kearne Solanke. Kearne had been stabbed in the shoulder, causing a deep wound so serious that there wasn’t time even to get him to hospital.’
Mr Emlyn Jones said the killers drove back to safe territory abandoned the car and dumped Kearne.
The 17-year-old got out of the car and went back to him.
In a 999 call played in court he said: ‘Someone’s been stabbed bro, please hurry up, ambulance we don’t need police please, he’s losing a lot of blood.
‘He’s struggling to breathe, please, please quick, he’s losing a lot of blood from his shoulder.
‘He’s breathing but he’s losing a lot of blood.
‘His name is Kearne. He’s breathing, he’s alright, he’s just got an open wound.
‘You’re good boy, you’re good, just don’t think about it, you have to keep your eyes open, I’m telling you bro on my Mum’s life. Stay with me please.’
He told the operator: ‘He didn’t say what happened I’ve just seen him on the floor.
‘He’s a friend of mine. We didn’t see anything we just saw him on the side of the road, we just bumped into him. I think it’s a stab wound.
The 17-year-old then went to a nearby youth club where he was seen on CCTV reenacting the murder, the court heard.
He was seen talking to another boy making stabbing and slashing motions and pointing to his head.
The 17-year-old later admitted to police he had a problem, he had a ‘beef’ with Abbey Wood.
‘And that, I’m afraid to tell you, is the depressingly petty reason for these killings - they arose from a sort of post-code rivalry between Abbey Wood and the neighbouring Thamesmead,’ Mr Emlyn Jones said.
The guilty verdicts marked a significant development in a case that has drawn attention due to the involvement of the teenagers
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: ‘My team of detectives worked relentlessly to identify the group’s movements across South East London on the day of the murders'
Bah, Jobe and the 16-year-old insisted they were not at the scene and claimed they were misidentified
The killers drove to enemy territory in Abbey Wood ‘armed to the teeth with large knives’ looking for a victim and found Charlie.
‘As you will see from the CCTV, once he had been knocked off his bike, he stood no chance, and the defendants wasted no time in jumping out, knives already drawn to complete the attack.
‘The whole thing takes less than a minute.’
Jurors were shown CCTV footage of the car hitting the motorbike head on before the attackers jumped out and repeatedly stabbed Charlie as he flailed around on the pavement.
The Nissan Qashqai had been stolen in Erith the previous day.
A video was found on Kearne’s phone of him filming himself vaping in the back of the car about 25 minutes before the stabbings.
Bah, Jobe and the 16-year-old insisted they were not at the scene and claimed they were misidentified.
The 17-year-old accepted he drove the car away after the stabbing.
Jobe, of Sidcup Road, Eltham, Bah, of Mottisfont Road, Greenwich and the two youths, who cannot be named, each denied but were convicted of two counts of murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: ‘My team of detectives worked relentlessly to identify the group’s movements across South East London on the day of the murders.
‘Even though some of the CCTV did not pick up their faces, my officers worked incredibly hard to identify them via their clothing including trousers and footwear. This was crucial in placing them together before and after the attack on Charlie.
‘I am glad that all four defendants have been found guilty. It was an unusual case in that the murder of Kearne Solanke, was obviously not what the group had set out to achieve.
‘However, we successfully proved that the group, in the course of their joint attack, intended to cause death or at least really serious injury and, one of their members was, sadly, an inadvertent victim of that.
‘This case demonstrates the utter devastation caused by knife crime and people who arm themselves with large knives, not only risk killing those they see as enemies, but also people they consider their friends. My thoughts, and those of my team, remain with the families of both Charlie and Kearne.'
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