A “former” gang member on trial for murdering teenager Marcel Addai has been accused of lying about the fatal stabbing because he is fearful for his life.

Eugene Ocran, 19, of Fermain Court West, De Beauvoir Road, is one of seven men on trial at the Old Bailey for the murder of the 17-year-old in St John’s Estate, Pitfield Street, Hoxton on September 4 last year.

Mr Addai, who lived nearby in Wenlock House, Evelyn Walk, was allegedly chased and stabbed 12 times.

He was a member of the Hoxton Boys gang, who prosecutors say had a fierce rivalry with the Fellows Court gang, of which six of the defendants were allegedly members.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard yesterday that a “small samurai sword or dagger” was found under the seat of Mr Ocran’s car when he was arrested in 2013 for knifepoint robbery, a crime he was convicted for two months later.

Mr Ocran said he was “not too sure” what the knife was doing there.

At the end of 2014 he pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour after chasing someone around the streets and into shops, and when police later searched his home they found one knife under his pillow and another in his bedroom.

Cross examining, barrister Mr Callagher said: “The reason for asking these questions is contrary to your claims you weren’t violent and involved in gangs, actually you were - up to and including this last arrest.

“What I’m suggesting to you is you tried to pull the wool over this jury’s eyes, by painting yourself as someone you aren’t by lying about what happened in Cherbury Street, you know what happened.

“Mr Faye is a Holly Street gang member. What do Holly Street do to people who snitch on them?

“If you were to give evidence that a Holly Street member was involved in murder do you feel your life would be at risk if you snitched, or at the very least you would get stabbed?

Mr Ocran replied: “I don’t know, it can happen.”

Mr Callagher continued: “To safeguard your own position you have lied about Cherbury Street, over several months you have woven together a story.

“You have found yourself in a very tight spot and you have lied to get out of it.”

Ocran; Rikell Rogers, 22, of Goldney Road, Maida Vale; Sodiq Adebayo, 23, of De Vere Gardens, Ilford; Akeem Gbadamosi, 22, of Detmold Road, Clapton; David Oladimeji, 21, of Axon Place, Ilford; Sheku Jalloh, 23, of Crondall Court, St John’s Estate; and Momar Faye, 18, of no fixed address, all deny murder.

The trial continues.