A youth has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a 16-year-old boy with a 30cm machete in a row over a stolen moped.
The victim, Kamari Johnson, was found injured after police were called to Bourne Avenue in Hayes, west London, at about 1.30pm on May 24 last year, and died at the scene.
On Tuesday, a 17-year-old youth was found guilty at the Old Bailey of Kamari’s murder and having an article with a blade or point.
The court had previously heard how the boys had been in contact over Snapchat about the defendant’s desire to buy a moped from Kamari.
Prosecutor Joel Smith KC had said the two “haggled” over a price with Kamari wanting £180 for it.
When they met to complete the sale, Kamari reneged on their agreement, took the defendant’s cash and drove away, the court heard.
Mr Smith said: “It seems that when they met, having taken (the defendant’s) cash, Mr Johnson went back on his side of the deal and simply rode off. In short, he took the money and ran.”
The prosecutor said the defendant was left feeling “pretty foolish, pretty embarrassed and, no doubt, pretty angry.”
He told jurors: “But whatever Mr Johnson had done, you may feel, he didn’t deserve what happened next.”
Minutes after the meeting, the 17-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, walked to Kamari’s house to confront him, intent on getting the bike, the court heard.
Mr Smith said: “He knew where Mr Johnson lived and he went there looking for him, and when he found him, he stabbed him.
“He stabbed him once through his chest and into his heart, and although Mr Johnson managed to flee on the moped, he collapsed minutes later and died on the street.”
The jury was shown CCTV footage in which the defendant could be seen turning into the victim’s road.
About 20 seconds later, the victim was shown driving out of the road on a black moped while the defendant followed on foot, carrying a large knife with a curved blade.
A witness, who can be seen in the clip, described seeing the defendant carrying a blood-stained knife he estimated to be about 30cm long, the prosecutor said.
Another video played in court showed Kamari crashing the moped in a nearby pub car park and then collapsing.
In police interviews, the defendant declined to answer questions but claimed in a prepared statement that he “acted in self-defence at all times”.
The youth made no reaction and Kamari’s family members wept in court as the verdicts were given after a jury deliberated for 13 hours and 35 minutes.
Judge Simon Mayo KC thanked jurors for their service and adjourned sentencing until 2pm on March 14.
The judge also paid tribute to Kamari’s family who remained “composed and acted in a very dignified fashion throughout this trial”.
The defendant was remanded into custody.
