Neasden man denies taking part in revenge murder for sports agent linked to Usain Bolt and Ashley Cole

Old Bailey hears teenager was stabbed to death in east London following mobile phone theft

A Neasden man has denied murdering an innocent teenager in a mistaken revenge attack allegedly ordered by a top sports agent.

Kevin Richards, 32, of North Circular Road, appeared in the dock at the Old Bailey today (Friday) alongside nine other men accused of stabbing 18-year-old Danny O’Shea to death.

Christopher Nathaniel, 40, who has done deals with rapper Jay Z and Usain Bolt, is claimed to have paid �1,500 for an attack on a group of youths who had robbed his business partner Paul Boadi, 34, of his phone.

Mr O’Shea, who is not believed to have been involved in the robbery, was stabbed in the neck and collapsed outside his mother’s front door in Custom House, east London, on December 2 last year.

Scott Marius, 44, from Maida Vale, is said to have driven the gang members to the scene.

Richards, Marius, and six other men have denied murder and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

Nathaniel and Boadi did not enter pleas.

Nathaniel founded the NVA Entertainment group in 2005 which brokered a deal last year allowing Chelsea star Ashley Cole to open a branch of US rapper Jay-Z’s 40/40 restaurant and bar chain.

He was also a director of Man United star Rio Ferdinand’s Live The Dream foundation, has worked with anti-knife crime campaigns and has had ‘high-level’ meetings former PMs Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

All the defendants were remanded in custody ahead of a three month trial due to start on January 7.