Andrew Jaipaul

Seven men and a 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing Andrew Jaipaul to death in a gang attack denied murder today.

The suspects allegedly attacked the 21-year-old as he walked home through the Andover Estate in Holloway, on the evening of June 26, 2011.

Mr Jaipaul, from Birnam Road, Holloway, was stabbed 25 times and bled to death near Andover House in Andover Road.

Tommy McInerney, 21, Allan Kalema, 19, Warren Brooks, 23, Jojo Mafwa, 18, Tirrell Ball-Thomas, 18, Orvill Sterling, 18, and a 17-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea and case management hearing.

All eight pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

They are due to stand trial on May 13 this year and the case is expected to last up to eight weeks.

McInerney, of Pilgrims Way, Upper Holloway; Kalema, of Round Mead, Stevenage, Hertfordshire; Brooks, of Ritchie Street, Islington; Mafwa, of St Margaret’s Avenue, Tottenham; Ball-Thomas, of Colthurst Crescent, Finsbury Park, Sterling, of Green Street, Enfield, and the 15 year-old from Islington were all remanded in custody.

The 17-year-old murder suspect, of no fixed address, was remanded on conditional bail.

Five others will stand trial at a later date on charges of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder relating to the attack.