Two gang members who attacked and stabbed an innocent 16-year-old boy, leaving him with life-changing disabilities, have been jailed for life. James Bascoe-Smith had offered to test-ride his mum’s new bike around their home in Brixton when he was randomly ambushed by masked, armed men on February 23, 2021.
The talented musician, who had no affiliations with gang violence, was brutally stabbed five times before his attackers fled the scene. While dying on the floor, James managed to Facetime his mum who had been waiting for him at the doorstep of their home, just a short distance away.
His stab wounds caused catastrophic injuries with emergency paramedics performing roadside open-heart surgery before rushing him to hospital. He was effectively dead for 50 minutes before his heart began beating again, with HEMS doctors using the defibrillator on four occasions.
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As a result, he suffered a severe hypoxic brain injury and a number of cardiac arrests, which has left him with life-changing disabilities. He was eventually released after spending a total of 449 days in hospital, and now requires around-the-clock care to facilitate his ongoing recovery.
Meanwhile, Leon Rashid, 20, and Taiquane Lewis, 19, were charged with attempted murder following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Despite denying the charges, they were both found guilty by an Old Bailey jury and were today sentenced to life imprisonment. In the case of Rashid, he was sentenced to a minimum term of 14 years while Lewis must serve a minimum of 13 years behind bars.
The court heard that the two were affiliated with a gang based in the Kennington Park estate, which was in a rivalry with the 410 gang, who were based in Myatts Field. It is believed that their actions were prompted by a drill music video or a “tit-for-tat revenge” following an incident two days previously. Shortly before 6pm, the two and other unidentified assailants drove in a convoy to the rival gang territory where they “searched for a target to murder”.
However, they chose the “entirely innocent” James, who had no gang affiliations or associations. After he was rammed from his bike by a Range Rover, he was brutally attacked. Judge Charles Bourne KC summarised: “From those two vehicles, you and others emerged carrying weapons of the most terrifying type and launched a deadly attack, attacking James Bascoe-Smith by stabbing him repeatedly.”
He noted that while the “carefully planned” attack was not caught on CCTV, “chilling images” had been obtained of the stabbing which showed the unarmed James attempting to defend himself. The group then fled in the stolen Range Rover and Volkswagen and intended to return to their estate to dispose of evidence and “sterilise” the two cars.
However, the Volkswagen broke down and was abandoned, leaving behind an “arsenal of lethal weapons”, with some stained with James’ blood. An experienced police officer later identified Rashid from previous gang violence, after a bus camera travelling down Camberwell New Road captured the group abandoning the vehicle.
The two were charged with conspiracy to murder after a lengthy investigation by the Met Police which examined CCTV, DNA evidence and cell-site data. In sentencing, Judge Bourne KC said their actions had a “devastating impact” upon their victim, adding: “He is a shadow of his old self and will never be able to live a normal life again.”
In an 10-minute long pre-recorded video, James explained the impact the stabbing has had upon his life, saying that he must now rely on family to brush his teeth, dress and feed him, and that he is unlikely to work or study again. Speaking slowly to the camera, he said: “I didn’t deserve this. I had no issues with anyone. I don’t know why they attacked me.
“I just want to know why they attacked me and if they feel bad for what they’ve done. Thank you to the doctors who saved my life but living like this is hard and I miss my friends, my old house every day.”
Taking to the witness stand, his mum Lisa Bascoe-Smith said: “James was only out of my sight for one minute and that minute has not only changed James’ whole life but mine and the wider family. After the incident I was at the hospital bed for almost 24 hours, seven days a week for the first five months.”
Since the incident, the family have moved out of the borough and Lisa has left her job to become his full-time carer. They are now living in a flat that has been specially-adapted to suit James’ needs however it has taken them away from neighbours and does not have a garden, meaning that James is without a green space.
Describing her son as a “smiley, generous person”, she said that James was now able to access his mobile phone but would often suffer from “serious distress” at seeing pictures of his life before the incident. “He has made comments about how this incident has affected him,” she said. “For example, he has to be aware of his surroundings at all times, he makes me position him in his wheelchair in a room so that he can see all entrances.”
Speaking of James’ commitment to tackling knife violence, she said: “We as a family are determined to see if we can have an impact on preventing similar events”. In the future, they hope to hold panel discussions and events to discourage London’s youth from engaging in knife crime and for James to visit schools to engage with younger children.
His aunt, Rachel Duncan, described the moment she “froze and then screamed” after receiving the phone call to say her “last-born nephew, the life and soul of the property” had been stabbed. She arrived at the scene as paramedics were performing open-heart surgery, and later followed in the ambulance to King’s College Hospital as James’ mum Lisa travelled ahead.
It was during this ambulance journey that James’ heart stopped beating and a defibrillator was used on four occasions. Rachel continued: “I called her [Lisa] and explained what happened, she immediately returned to where he was and as soon as she returned his heart began beating again.”
The family spent 174 days around James’ bedside at a trauma hospital before he was discharged to another unit to help with his recovery. His injuries were so severe that at first the family were told to prepare for the worst, and that James would likely be in a vegetative state if he were to survive.
The stab wounds had lacerated his liver, ripped through his diaphragm, punctured his lungs and ripped his aorta. His kidneys began to fail and he was placed on dialysis, while his limbs became dystonic due to his severe hypoxic brain injury.
Over time, he gradually improved and learned how to write his own name, say the word ‘Mum’ and began to eat food. He was eventually discharged from hospital after spending a total of 449 days in hospital. Since then, he and his family have launched their campaign ‘Sit Up & Stand Up 2 Knife Violence’ to help end knife crime within South London communities.
The court heard that both Rashid and Lewis had previous convictions for possession of bladed articles. On four occasions, Rashid had been found with a kitchen knife, a Rambo-style knife and a “large hunting knife” while Lewis was found with a machete just 10 days before the attack on James.
In a statement outside the Old Bailey, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor David Malone said: “The first and last word in this case belongs to James Bascoe-Smith, his mum Lisa and their family whose heroism and dignity throughout, contrasts starkly with the cowardice of those sentenced here today - gang members who have shown no remorse for their despicable actions.
“James’ determination has been the inspiration behind this painstaking investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service and the successful prosecution by the CPS and counsel. Our diligent cooperation in dealing with this brutal act of gang violence has ensured that justice has been delivered.
“James was a 16-year-old boy, doing no more than innocently test-driving a bicycle for his mum when he was attacked with machetes and zombie knives by masked gang members, dying at the scene. It is testament to the skill, perseverance and empathy of the members of the public, first responders and air ambulance staff that he is here with us today.
“The courage shown by those members of the public who risked their own safety to assist James, in what might have been his final moments, is remarkable. Our communities are at the heart of everything we do and without their support we could not possibly bring such dangerous criminals to justice.”
James' family have now launched a GoFundMe to help with his ongoing treatment and rehabilitation. You can donate here.
Do you have a story you think we should be covering? Email holly.evans@reachplc.com
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