Stockwell man Nathan Bell, 30, is due to be sentenced today (21 October) for the manslaughter of 17-year-old Jerrell Elie of Camberwell. A car he was driving crushed the teenager to death in Brixton in August last year.
Bell was found guilty of manslaughter this week as well as perverting the course of justice. He was found not guilty of murder.
Liston Ruber, 32, of Tadworth, Surrey, was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice at the same trial.
Detective Chief Inspector Sam Price of the homicide and major crime command said: “Jerrell’s death was the result of local gang conflicts in which Bell chose to intervene that night.”
The court heard that the Jerrell Elie’s death followed a dispute between him and a 16-year-old boy which had resulted in Elie being stabbed in July 2015. He was treated at hospital for the wound on 9 July 2015 and released.
The 16-year-old boy was arrested on 2 August 2015 and released on bail pending further enquiries.
Police said that on 8 August 2015 there was a party in Gordon Grove, Brixton. Bell arrived in an Audi A5 and the 16-year-old, there on his bike, came to greet him.
The victim then appeared and the 16-year-old ran. The victim pursued him before changing direction which is when Bell drove after him.
CCTV did not capture the fatal collision on Flaxman Road, but prosecution lawyers said Bell hit Elie, trapping him between the Audi and another parked car. The wheels crushed his skull. Bell then made off.
On the morning of 9 August 2015, the Audi was taken to a car wash in Herne Hill. Afterwards it was taken to a panel beaters to repair a dent to the bonnet. Its tyres were replaced at around 2am the following morning.
The Audi had been circulated as wanted and police stopped it just over two hours later, at 04:20am, with Bell at the wheel.
He will also be sentenced for attempted grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving in connection with an earlier incident.
