Chilling CCTV footage has captured three teenage killers chasing a 15-year-old boy on their bicycles before stabbing him 18 times in a motiveless murder.
Babacar Diagne suffered 18 knife wounds after he was attacked following a chance encounter with his killers, aged between 15 and 17, who had never spoken to him before.
Footage released by West Midlands Police shows the schoolboy cycling to the park with his friends in Wood End, Coventry, on February 5.
One of his killers, who was 15 at the time, cycled past the group before circling back and staring at Babacar and his pals.
The killer then rounded up two of his friends, aged 17 and 15, to help him hunt Babacar.
Babacar Diagne suffered 18 knife wounds after he was attacked following a chance encounter with his killers, aged between 15 and 17, who had never spoken to him before
Footage then shows the trio cycling at speed towards the park.
Minutes later the trio caught up with Babacar and launched a frenzied attack on him.
His friend watched in horror as the trio stabbed, kicked and punched Babacar before they warned him: ‘Don’t snitch, or you’ll get the same’.
His killers then fled the scene and hid at a friend’s house before detectives tracked them down days later.
Minutes later the trio caught up with Babacar (pictured) and launched a frenzied attack on him
The teenagers, who cannot be legally named, were found guilty of murder after a trial at Warwick Crown Court.
Sean Larkin QC, prosecuting, said: ‘In the evening he had cycled to meet friends in Riley Square.
‘By chance [the first 16-year-old killer] had arrived in the area earlier. He too was on a bicycle.
‘While he was there, and before Babacar arrived, he was staring at Babacar’s friend.
‘Babacar cycled past his friend, and as he did so [the 16-year-old] cycled in the same direction. Babacar cycled back, and [the 16-year-old] also cycled back.
‘He did not know Babacar Daigne, or vice versa, as far as the prosecution are aware, and they did not speak to each-other. This appears to be a chance encounter.’
Mr Larkin said: ‘They cycled into the park and up to Babacar Diagne, and they got off their bikes and they immediately carried out an unprovoked attack.
‘Eye witnesses describe seeing what they thought were punches and kicks. They knocked him to the ground, but kept on.
‘He got up and staggered off, and they attacked him again and knocked him to the ground and carried on with punches and kicks, and they finished with a kick to the head.
His friend watched in horror as the trio stabbed, kicked and punched Babacar before they warned him: ‘Don’t snitch, or you’ll get the same.’ Pictured: Police at the scene
‘But in fact some of what appeared to be punches must have been stabs.
‘He had 18 wounds, mostly stab wounds to his chest and upper body. Some of those were sufficient by themselves to have been fatal.’
Babacar was found lying on the grass off Petitor Crescent, Wood End, at around 7pm, with stab wounds in his torso and chest.
Detectives caught the trio when they were captured on CCTV cycling to the from the murder scene on bicycles.
The number and position of the bike reflectors proved it was the same group in each of the clips.
His killers then fled the scene (pictured) and hid at a friend’s house before detectives tracked them down days later
And they seized CCTV footage showing the ringleader 24 hours before the murder riding a bike identical to the one used on the day of the attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Scott Griffiths said: ‘There remains no clear motive for the savage killing other than Babacar was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
‘He was new to Coventry, finding his feet. He wanted to make friends and to fit in.
‘He was in a part of the city where his face wasn’t known and a stray glance has quickly escalated to murder.
‘It’s totally shocking. These three children murdered a stranger; there was no bad blood between them.
Officers seized CCTV footage showing the ringleader 24 hours before the murder riding a bike identical to the one used on the day of the attack
‘When the three offenders ran at Babacar there were no words exchanged.
‘Babacar pleaded for them to stop but they continued to attack him as he lay defenceless on the floor.’
The 17-year-old boy went to his girlfriend’s home to change clothes following the stabbing and when he was arrested he had injuries to his hands.
The other 15-year-old sent a WhatsApp message to his father pleading for help to flee the country. It read: ‘I need to go to Africa *ASAP* like tomorrow if I can.’
A 15-year-old girl was also arrested over comments she made to the 15-year-old ringleader but there was not enough evidence to charge her over the killing.