By Dr Lori T

A teenage girl born of Nigerian parents, 19-year-old Victoria Osoteku was the latest of several convictions over the murder of Sofyen Belamouadden 15 at London rail terminus. Sofyen Belamouadden, 15, died after suffering multiple stab wounds during a fight between rival school pupils in Victoria station.
Victoria Osoteku was found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, after Sofyen Belamouadden died.
Victoria Osoteku, 19, was said to be at the heart of the attack at Victoria station in London which resulted in Sofyen Belamouadden being knifed in front of horrified commuters.
She was seen on CCTV kicking him in the head as he lay dying on the ground after the 10-second attack by rival school pupils.
Sofyen was stabbed nine times to the body and suffered wounds to his heart, a lung and major blood vessels.
Osoteku was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in the latest of a series of trials of 20 defendants from south London.
She was the only female charged in connection with the incident in March 2010, and spent 19 days in the witness box.
Osoteku, of Deptford, south London, was remanded in custody to be sentenced at a later date with others convicted of the killing.
The stabbing was the horrific end of a minor confrontation the day before in the fast food area of the station between pupils from two west London schools.
The court heard Osoteku bought a set of knives from Argos with a 17-year-old youth at lunchtime and gave them to the gang.
Osoteku vicky
She was also one of the teenagers responsible for setting up the fatal showdown. The A-level student sent messages by phone and on Facebook arranging the clash between pupils from the rival schools.
Sofyen died after being chased by around 20 pupils across the Terminus Way concourse and into the Underground station.
Osoteku was behind a youth who led the charge with a Samurai sword. Other youths were armed with a flick knife and a Swiss army knife, machetes and screwdrivers.
Mr Heywood said: “They were so heavily armed that no smaller group, or even police officer or member of station staff, could withstand them or stop them.”
Sofyen fell down the stairs into the ticket hall and was attacked on the ground by a smaller group.
Osoteku was also found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.
Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, said: “She was one of those who set up and organised the confrontation that led to the death.
“Her responsibility for the death is very great indeed, even though it was others that delivered the final fatal blows that led to Sofyen Belamouadden’s death.”
He said she and another pupil were “at the heart” of all the communication and “were in effect the focal point”.
Osoteku denied the allegations during the five-month trial.
She said she had not kicked Sofyen.
“I just went to see if he was OK and I nudged him with my foot to see if he was OK,” she wept.
“He didn’t move. I looked down and then I ran off. I panicked. I did not know what to do.”
She told the court that she had a terrible childhood, being taken into care with her sister when she was eight.
Osoteku becomes the fourth person convicted of manslaughter.
Adonis Akra, 18, Samuel Roberts, 19, and Femi Oderinwale, 18, were found guilty of manslaughter during earlier hearings.
Last May, Obi Nwokeh, 19, and Christopher Omoregrie, 18, were found guilty of murder, with Samson Odegbune, 18, convicted of murder in August.
A 17-year-old and 19-year-old have been convicted of conspiracy to cause grevious bodily harm.
Four youths have been sentenced for violent disorder. Three were cleared of all charges.
Four others are still to face trial on various charges.
