TORONTO -- A Scarborough teen was surrounded, swarmed and fatally stabbed by a pack of gang associates exacting revenge for the youth's inability to purchase them a gun, court heard yesterday.

Crown attorney Anna Tenhouse outlined the prosecution's case against five youths, 13 to 16 years old at the time they allegedly murdered Omar Wellington on July 14, 2006, at 61 Grenoble Dr., a hangout for a youth gang known as the "Little Rascalz."

One accused has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, while the other four have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. None can be identified because they were under 18 at the time of the offence.

Tenhouse said the youths circled Wellington -- who didn't resist -- and then beat and stabbed him 31 times. A wound to his right neck that cut his jugular vein was fatal, she told Justice Brian Trafford in the judge-alone trial.

A Crown witness -- who also can't be identified -- initially confessed to killing Wellington. Later, the man, who was diagnosed as a schizophrenic, told police he didn't do it but implicated two of the accused.

Wellington, a Scarborough group home resident, was visiting Flemingdon Park when he was confronted by one of the accused, who had given him $1,500 for a gun.

Wellington had neither the gun nor the cash and he was beaten by the youth.

The trial continues today.

SAM.PAZZANO@SUNMEDIA.CA