Samantha Joseph

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A TEENAGE girl who acted as a "honeytrap" to lure a 16-year-old to his death at the hands of a love rival was facing a long prison sentence today.

Samantha Joseph led lovestruck Shakilus Townsend into an ambush in a quiet cul-de-sac where he was beaten with baseball bats and stabbed six times by members of Shine My Nine gang.

The teenager bled to death after the "relentless and merciless attack" by the masked and hooded gang in Thornton Heath, south London, in July last year.

Joseph, who was just 15 at the time, laughed as they caught up with him and simply walked away when they began their brutal assault.

Her older boyfriend Danny McLean plunged a knife into Shakilus's chest, raking it across his liver before twisting the blade.

As he lay bleeding to death Shakilus, from Deptford, called out for his mother and cried: "I don't want to die."

Joseph, now 17, from Brockley, south London, and McLean, 18, from Thornton Heath, were found guilty of murder alongside five other youths.

Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, said: "She agreed to set up the hapless Shakilus Townsend in a honey trap with a lethal and tragic twist.

"She was more than equal to the task. She played her part to perfection, duping Shakilus who could see no wrong in her, the others in hot pursuit of him."

Shakilus was besotted with the girl and told his mother he wanted to marry her but she told friends she was just using him and treated him like "s***".

But while Joseph allowed Shakilus to shower her with gifts, she was still obsessed with McLean.

"If you still love me, will you set up Shak?"

He had dumped her when he found out about her relationship with Shakilus but she was prepared to do anything to get him back. McLean told her: "If you still love me, will you set up Shak?" Joseph agreed.

Former public schoolboy and London Irish rugby player Andre Johnson-Haynes, 18, from Croydon, was one of the other youths found guilty of murder.

Also facing life sentences are brothers Tyrell Ellis, 19, and Don-Carlos Ellis, 18, of Thornton Heath, together with Michael Akinfenwa, 18, and Andre Thompson, 17, both from Norwood.