Frightened witnesses saw a tragic victim of gang warfare die from knife wounds in front of them, the Old Bailey heard today.

Andrew Jaipaul was stabbed 25 times in a brutal stabbing on the Andover Estate, Holloway, in June 2011 in a revenge attack between rival Islington gangs.

He was walking to his home in nearby Birnam Road when it is said a mob of around 20 youths from Archway’s Busy Block gang chased him down and killed him, shouting their gang name as they fled.

Residents ran to his aid and tried to stop the bleeding, but Mr Jaipaul died on the floor near a children’s play area.

Weznet Haile, who lives on the estate off Seven Sisters Road, said: “I thought there was a fight and I was concerned because I thought my son might have been involved. I saw a large group of youths in front of me. They had their backs to me and they were running.

“I heard a neighbour shout ‘look at what they have done’ and I started running faster.

“As I got nearer I saw someone laying on his back. I started to panic as I thought it was my son.”

He added: “I realised it wasn’t because of his clothing. He was bleeding from the right side of his tummy. His eyes were open but rolled upwards.

“He turned his head to the side but his eyes remained open and that’s when I saw he was dead.

“A woman put her fingers on his neck and said ‘he’s gone’.”

Despite neighbours trying to stem the blood flow with towels and ambulance crews performing an on the spot operation, Mr Jaipaul died of multiple wounds.

The court had earlier heard how members of the public ran into their homes screaming as a large group of aggressive youths carrying weapons and wearing balaclavas ran into the estate and chased Mr Jaipaul down.

Sarah Brown said: “I felt scared. I grabbed my daughter and ran inside and locked the door

“I remember as I ran in I screamed in fear.”

Another resident, Sarah Hawkins, saw a large group pursuing a youth on his own.

She said: “I saw him turn around. He looked really scared. I thought ‘he’s got no chance’.”

Other witnesses saw someone “taking a real beating” and youths kicking him in the head. One said she saw one of the group carrying a grey block.

She said: “He dropped it. I don’t know if it hit him but I heard a thud. That’s when I knew it was serious.

The Old Bailey was told Mr Jaipaul was left with slashes to his skull, neck and arm and stab wounds to his shoulder, back, hand, thigh and two deep chest wounds, one of which punctured his lung.

The mob were said to be seeking retribution after a senior member of the Busy Block was stabbed in the buttocks just hours earlier.

Zoe Johnson QC said: “He [Andrew Jaipaul] was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“He found himself a victim of a series of escalating attacks between rival gangs in north London.

It is alleged one of gang shouted to a witness ‘tell Wray Cray [Crescent] we are coming for them’. The mob are said to have cheered and shouted ‘Busy Block’ as they escaped the scene.

“Andrew Jaipaul was minding his own business when, out of nowhere, a large armed gang came across him, decided to attack him, chased him down and brutally murdered him.”

She added: “A prominent member [of Busy Block] became a victim. That could not be left unanswered. Busy Block decided to make a show of violence. Andrew Jaipual was a victim of that show of violence.”

She added: “The defendants who appear in the dock are some of those who formed the aggressive group that night.”

Thomas McInerney, of Lennox Road, Finsbury Park; Allan Kalema, of Cardinals Way, Archway; Warren Brooks, of Ritchie Street, Islington; Jojo Mafwa, of St Margaret’s Avenue, Tottenham; Tirrell Ball-Thomas, of Colthurst Crescent, Finsbury Park, Orvill Sterling, of Green Street, Enfield; a 17-year-old from Islington and a 15-year-old from Upper Holloway all deny murder, conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

The trial continues.