An unarmed boy was stabbed to death in his home by a group of masked youths “out for blood”, a court has heard.

Camron Smith, 16, was unarmed and in his underwear when attackers entered his home armed with knives, the Old Bailey was told on Thursday (July 28).

Romain LaPierre, 20, from Brent; Jordan Tcheuko, 19, from Wembley; Sako Amoniba-Burnley, 21, from Norbury; and a 16-year-old youth, have denied murder.

Camron's killing came amid a crime wave on the streets of Croydon, overnight on June 30 and July 1 last year, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said the four defendants had set out with others, on a moped and in a hijacked car, to track down those they had linked to the stabbing of an associate.

He said they acted as a group, entering three homes in rapid succession.

The first was no longer occupied by anyone they were looking for and was, instead, home to a woman who awoke to find a masked male in her bedroom, the court heard.

At the second property, the occupant was able to keep the group outside, the prosecutor said.

Mr Atkinson said: “The occupant of the third address was not so fortunate.

“The home of 16-year-old Camron Smith was entered by a masked, gloved and knife-carrying group and there they brutally killed that young man.

“Unarmed and in his underwear, Camron Smith was stabbed in his mother’s bedroom as he sought to evade the group that had entered his address, out for blood and determined to cause, at least, really serious bodily harm.”

They face two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent; and LaPierre, the youth and Amoniba-Burnley are also charged with robbery of a car.

A fifth defendant, Allison Scott, 55, from Croydon, denies assisting an offender.

The trial at the Old Bailey continues.