'Killer's photo' found on website

A teenager accused of murdering a promising footballer in north London was arrested after he posted his own picture on the internet, a court heard.

Etem Celebi, 17, was shot when two gunmen opened fire near his family home in Stoke Newington in November 2007.

The Old Bailey heard how a witness found pictures of Sheldon Small on the MySpace social networking website.

Mr Small and Richard Harrison-Allen, 19, both from Hackney, east London, deny murder and firearms offences.

'Mistaken identity'

Victor Temple QC, prosecuting, said the background to the incident was that there were two rival gangs in adjoining areas in north-east London.

Mr Small and Mr Harrison-Allen belonged to the Stamford Hill Man Dem gang while Etem and his friends were part of the Smalley Man Dem gang, Mr Temple said.

But he added: "Neither (Etem) nor any of the friends he was with were the intended targets of this murder, which may well have had its origins in mistaken identity."

The court heard how Etem was friends with a youth who was allegedly threatened by Mr Small.

Etem and four others were later confronted by the gunmen on the Smalley Close estate, who opened fire after being asked: "What end you from?"

As the friends ran off Etem sheltered behind a car but became a target as he tried to escape.

The teenager was hit and died instantly from massive internal bleeding.

A witness to the shooting subsequently identified Mr Small from photographs he had posted on the MySpace site, under Mr Small's street-name of Sweets, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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