Three Teenagers Jailed for Fatal Attack on Homeless Man Near King's Cross
In a shocking incident, three teenagers have been sentenced to prison for a brutal gang attack that resulted in the death of a homeless man near King's Cross station. Anthony Marks, aged 51, succumbed to his injuries five weeks after the tragic event on August 10, 2024.
At the Old Bailey, Jaidee Bingham, who was 16 at the time of the assault and known as 'Ghost', was handed a 16-year sentence for murder. Eymaiyah Lee Bradshaw-McKoy, also 16, and Mia Campos-Jorge, 17, received 47-month and 42-month sentences, respectively, for manslaughter. The court heard that the attack was a result of a 'vicious county lines retribution' as Marks was a customer of the 'Arron' drug gang.
The prosecution revealed that the teenagers were involved in the gang, and on the previous evening, one of the girls was robbed while working for the gang. Bingham was tasked with finding out who had taken the drugs. They believed Marks knew what had happened and confronted him at around 5:00 GMT the following morning, but he refused to give up any information. The confrontation escalated as Bingham and Bradshaw-McKoy chased Marks from Argyle Street to Whidbourne Street, with CCTV footage showing Bradshaw-McKoy wielding a long object, believed to be a car bumper.
Marks was repeatedly kicked and hit over the head with a glass bottle before a member of the public intervened, armed with a cricket bat. The judge, Mark Dennis KC, emphasized that Bingham's actions with the bottle were marked by severe violence. Staff at King's Cross station alerted emergency services at around 6:00 GMT after finding Marks stumbling near the main concourse, with serious facial injuries and blood dripping from his head.
Marks' condition was critical by the time paramedics arrived, and he was taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. A CT scan revealed bleeding on top of a pre-existing injury. The police identified Marks as a subject who was subject to recall to prison for breaching his license after an earlier release. While in custody, he complained of headaches and slurred speech, but was not referred for another brain scan.
On August 29, 2024, prison staff were called to his cell after he had a seizure, and he was admitted to King's College Hospital, where he received emergency surgery to remove a blood clot. Tragically, Marks died in prison on September 14, 2024, after medics made a clinical decision to withdraw care due to the absence of a next of kin to consult. Judge Mark Dennis KC noted criticisms of the care received, but emphasized that it did not diminish the teenagers' culpability.
Defending Jaidee Bingham, Frida Hussein KC highlighted a previous certificate from the Metropolitan Police for outstanding behavior, where Bingham had 'saved a life'. However, she argued that her client had taken wrong turns and was exploited by others. The jury in the teenagers' trial last October could not reach a decision regarding Harry Gittins, who was charged with murder. His retrial is scheduled for September this year.
