Teenager found guilty of murdering man with victim’s own knife

Court heard victim was put in headlock then stabbed three times

Muhamoud Mohamed Mahdi died in the attack on February 18 (Met Police)

A teenager has been found guilty of murdering a 28-year-old man by stabbing him with the victim’s own knife.

Christian Kuta-Dankwa, 19, had denied unlawfully killing Muhamoud Mohamed Mahdi in Burnt Oak, north London, on February 18.

The court had heard how Kuta-Dankwa and another youth aged 17 were in Watling Avenue when Mr Mahdi saw them and formed a “negative view”.

Following an initial confrontation, the victim fetched a large knife he had secreted in a back street and returned to confront them again, the Old Bailey was told.

There was a brief altercation in which Mr Mahdi was disarmed and began to run away, jurors were told.

Kuta-Dankwa picked up the knife and both youths gave chase, jurors had heard.

The prosecution alleged the victim was put into a headlock by the younger teenager and Kuta-Dankwa stabbed him in the back three times.

As they ran off, Mr Mahdi collapsed and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The defendants had denied murder, claiming they acted in lawful self-defence.

A jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for more than 16 hours to find Kuta-Dankwa guilty of murder.

The 17-year-old boy was cleared of murder and an alternative offence of manslaughter.

After the verdicts were delivered, sobs could be heard from the public gallery and Kuta-Dankwa was embraced by his co-accused in the dock.

Kuta-Dankwa, from Rayners Lane, north London, was remanded into custody to be sentenced on December 2.