Teen Stabbed to Death in Haringey Park Robbery
A brutal daylight stabbing has claimed the life of 16-year-old Stelios Averkiou in Lordship Lane Recreation Ground, Haringey. The Old Bailey heard how Stelios was attacked when he stood up to a gang trying to rob his friends in the summer of 2021.
18-Year-Old Guilty of Murder
Kyi-Reice Sylvester, 18, of Cheshunt, was found guilty of murder on Tuesday, 29 November, after admitting to five counts of robbery. Sylvester plunged a large knife into Stelios’s thigh during the robbery attempt.
His co-defendant, Leon Gruber, 18, was cleared of murder but pleaded guilty to four robberies. Both remain in custody ahead of sentencing in January 2023.
Knife Attack Described in Court
The court was told Stelios was sat on a bench with friends on 1 August 2021 when Sylvester and Gruber approached, asking if they were from a rival gang before launching the robbery.
When Stelios resisted, Sylvester stabbed him with a large knife, causing a deep, eight-inch wound to his upper leg. Emergency services rushed to the scene. Officers applied a tourniquet amidst heavy bleeding, and the London Air Ambulance performed life-saving surgery on-site. Stelios was taken to hospital, but tragically died days later without regaining consciousness.
Investigation and Justice
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Rawlinson of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command praised the verdict, saying:
“My thoughts are with Stelios’s family. It is wholly right these offenders are off our streets. Their sentences will match the severity of their crimes.”
DCI Rawlinson added the public’s courage in coming forward was vital in securing justice.
Stelios’s mother, Maria Averkiou, said:
“My family has been ripped apart by senseless violence. Stelios was just a 16-year-old boy with his friends. Our hearts are broken.”
Detective Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh warned:
“This tragic killing highlights why knife crime is a top priority for the Met. We are determined to bring offenders to justice and make our streets safer.”
