One of the group Joel Adesina was with the night he died threw an object at the car of a man accused of his murder, the Old Bailey heard today.

An associate of the 15-year-old from Dagenham, who died of a stab wound to his liver on December 6, appeared behind a screen to testify to the jury.

Adam Meragan, 19, said Lincoln Olaribigbe, 23, pulled up next to him, Joel and their group of friends on Hoxton Street in Bethnal Green between 7pm and 8pm.

Meragan said Olaribigbe was driving a silver Vauxhall Astra and reversed after passing the group, giving the impression he was trying to identify them.

Meragan said the group of seven scattered at the sight of the car and, upon its return, one struck it with a missile.

“One of us chucked a brick or something,” he said. “My head was turned away so I couldn’t see.”

Meragan said the friends were on their way to a party on Hackney Road.

But he said when Lincoln drove away Joel, him and two others got into a taxi – with the intention of finding him.

“We got into the cab, [we were] going back to Hoxton Street to look for the people who pulled up on us,” he said.

Defending Olaribigbe, Stephen Kamlish QC questioned yesterday’s claims from prosecuting Anthony Orchard QC that the Astra was one of two vehicles tracking Joel and his friends on the night of his death.

He cited CCTV footage later in the night in which Olaribigbe can be seen driving his car within 100 yards of Joel and his friends at the junction between Diss Street and Hackney Road.

In the clip, members of the group Joel was in are pointing and looking at the car due to the incident on Hoxton Street.

Mr Kamish QC argued that Olaribigbe would have easily been able to see the group while pausing at the junction, but pointed out that he did not approach them and drove in the opposite direction.

Olaribigbe of Regents Court, Hoxton, denies the charge of murder.

His co-defendant Georgie Phillips, 20, of Hood Walk, Romford, also denies murdering 15-year-old Joel Adesina.

The trial continues.