Prosecutors have challenged claims by teenage defendants accused of rapping about murdering a 14-year-old boy that they were just exaggerating their involvement for the sake of their music.

Gordon Gault was stabbed with a machete as he rode on the back of a friend’s e-bike in Newcastle’s West End on November 9 last year and died six days later, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.

The fatal attack, which also saw one of his associates slashed in the back, came against a background of tit-for-tat violence between two groups who were looking for each other that night, jurors have been told.

Six defendants aged between 16 and 18 deny murder and wounding with intent.

During the trial, the jury has been told of phone messages and rap lyrics that feature slang about stabbing, such as “bore”; revenge, known as “get back” and visits to enemy territory called “glides” or “rides”.

Being caught without a weapon was known as “lacking” whereas “rolling” was going out armed, the court has heard.

The jury has been told rap lyrics, which feature the death of the 14-year-old, were found on some of the defendants’ phones by police.

Jonathan Sandiford KC, summing up the prosecution case, referred to the band Queen, asking: “Is this real life or is this just fantasy?”

He said some of the defendants have claimed: “We were just a musical group, we were a group of friends who were interested in music.

“We rapped about this culture, we were not really involved in it.

“We just said we were for the sake of our music.”

But the reality, Mr Sandiford said, was there was an armed clash between two groups that ended in Gordon Gault’s death and an associate of his being slashed.

Mr Sandiford said: “This was a real beef, a real feud, between two rival groups.”

Two of the defendants, Daniel Lacerda, 18, and a 16-year-old who cannot be named due to his age, do not claim to be drill rappers, but Mr Sandiford said they were still associated with the group.

Lacerda’s messages to the other defendants show an interest in violence and the 16-year-old had previously planned to fight with Gordon, Mr Sandiford said.

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The defendants are Benedict Mbala, of St John’s Walk, Newcastle; Carlos Neto, of Manchester Road East, Manchester; Lacerda, of Paddock Close, Ferryhill, County Durham; Lawson Natty, 18, of Eastgarth, Newbiggin Hall Estate; Newcastle and youths aged 17 and 16.

The prosecution said Neto inflicted the fatal stab wound but the six defendants were guilty of murder as they all intended really serious harm be inflicted on the others by their group.

The prosecution and the defendants’ barristers were expected to make their closing speeches this week and the judge will sum the case up in the New Year.