Danny O'Shea, 18, died in Gill Ave yards from his house.

A top sports agent lied to police after being questioned about the murder of Danny O’Shea, a court heard today.

Christopher Nathaniel was questioned after the 18-year-old was stabbed through the neck during what has been described as a revenge attack over a stolen BlackBerry phone.

Prosecutors say he was attacked by ten men in Custom House, in December 2011.

Mark Heywood QC, prosecuting, told the Old Bailey that Nathaniel “chose to lie” to police.

He added: “It was nothing less than a pack of lies.”

And when he was interviewed again, “he was not frank then either”.

When he was charged with murder, Nathaniel had replied: “Not guilty” and “outrageous”, said counsel.

Christopher Nathaniel, 40, his business partner Paul Boadi, 34, and eight other men are accused of killing Mr O’Shea.

Mr Heywood said the defendants travelled to the area to “exact revenge” after Boadi’s mobile phone was stolen a week earlier.

“The plan was to teach a lesson,” Mr Heywood said.

“They were serious. They had weapons between them including baseball bats and at least one knife.”

Mr Heywood added: “As far as can be known, none of them knew the young man who died.

“That young man had very little to do with why they were there.

“It seems he simply crossed their paths, possibly because he ran with others.”

All of the accused deny murder and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.

The defendants are Nathaniel and Boadi, both of Docklands,, David Hylton, 47, from Holborn, Andrew Johnson, 35, Paul Johnson, 33, and O’Neil Wareham, 30, all from Harrow, Ferron Perue, 24, from Birmingham; Kevin Richards, 32, from Harlesden, Nugent Rowe, 29, from Pinner, and Scott Marius, 44, from Clinton Villas.

The trial was adjourned to Monday.