A teenager who was just 16 when he stabbed James Hunter to death in Sydenham has been sentenced to life in prison

Giovanni Dixon, now 17, from Sandown Road in South Norwood, stabbed 18-year-old James Hunter to death on May 31 last year.

Mr Hunter died outside the Tasty Chicken shop in Wells Park Road, Sydenham.

A single stab wound penetrated both ventricles of his heart, and despite emergency services’ best efforts to save him he died at the scene.

Dixon was found guilty of murder and wounding with intent at the Old Bailey and was sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 16 years, earlier today (April 14).

Three others, Jason Odumusi, 17, from Brookhouse Road, Catford, Jerome Catterall, 18, from Sydenham Park, Sydenham, and Benedict Leka, 16, from Dacres Road, Forest Hill, were all found not guilty of murder but guilty of wounding with intent.

Odumusi and Catterall were sentenced to four-and-a-half years, while Leka received four years.

Jacob Ayode, 17, from Horniman Drive in Forest Hill, was sentenced to three years for being in possession of a knife and intentionally encouraging or assisting an offence.

Another 17-year-old, from Catford, was found not-guilty of murder and wounding with intent.

All six denied charges.

James Hunter

Ayode had a running feud with another youth, Ezekiel Andrew, who was the intended victim of the stabbing.

Ayode felt Mr Andrew was ‘disrespecting’ him and bought a knife, a ‘rambo’, in the weeks leading up to the stabbing.

He brandished the eight inch blade in an altercation with Mr Andrew and his cousin on May 24, but Mr Andrew disposed of it, further inflaming Ayode.

Tensions continued to run high, and Ayode sent a number of messages to his friends venting his frustration at ‘losing face’ and voicing his thirst for revenge.

When Ayode’s friends bumped into Mr Andrew on May 31, despite Ayode himself not being present, they attacked him.

Mr Hunter died after he stepped in to help his friend Mr Andrew, who also received deep stab wounds in the ensuing fight.

The Old Bailey previously heard how if it were not for Mr Hunter’s bravery, Mr Andrew would more than likely have been more seriously injured.

MORE TOP STORIES Nicknamed ‘Yards’, Mr Hunter had been accepted onto an accountancy course at Bromley College and on a construction course with the Princes Trust.

His mother said: "The tragic truth behind this story is that so many families have been destroyed by senseless violence and thoughtless actions.

"I believe that justice has been served to the extent of the Judge’s powers, but nothing will ever bring James back to us and the sentences regarding knife crime should be reviewed."

Detective inspector Donna Convery, who led the investigation, said: "This was a brutal attack on an innocent young man who was only trying to protect another from being attacked.

"James had everything to live for and his whole life ahead of him."

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