CCTV clue in tower death inquiry

Police said the youths were seen leaving minutes after Ahmed fell

Police investigating the death of a 16-year-old boy who fell from a block of flats in east London have released a CCTV image of a group of teenagers.

Ahmed Benyermak is believed to have been fleeing from youths when he fell about 100ft from the seventh floor of a tower block in Hackney.

Police said the image shows five youths on cycles leaving the estate minutes after Ahmed plunged to death.

Ahmed's death is being investigated as an unlawful killing, police said.

Investigators believe Ahmed feared he would be stabbed when a gang of six youths started chasing him and a group of friends on the Trelawney estate on Wednesday.

Ahmed's family collected his GCSE results

Police said he lost his grip while descending the outside of the 13-storey tower.

On Friday, Det Ch Insp Ian Stevenson said: "We believe this group was made up of six youths, some were wearing hooded tops, others were wearing bandanas, sometimes concealing their faces."

He added that the group "came to the tower block for a specific purpose".

"There is no indication that Ahmed was assaulted before he fell.

"Having recovered CCTV evidence, it is apparent that after Ahmed, fell five of the six youths left the area. They were seen riding on pedal cycles along Paragon Road, away from Mare Street.

"One of the male youths left the area on foot, leaving his bicycle at the scene," he added.