Louis Johnson: Teen guilty of East Croydon train station murder

A 17-year-old boy has been convicted of murdering a teenager stabbed to death in front of commuters at East Croydon station.

Louis Johnson, 16, who had recently moved to the area, was attacked as part of an ongoing feud between the pair on 27 January.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty by jurors at the Old Bailey.

He will be sentenced by Judge Mark Dennis QC on 16 October.

During the trial the court heard Louis died in the arms of a commuter who rushed to his side when he was stabbed.

The teenage killer fled the station in a Bolt taxi and was later arrested but handed himself into a British Transport Police station in Islington two days later.

Louis had been carrying a grey "man bag" which was taken from him by a superintendent who gave him medical assistance.

The bag was zipped shut, but when later opened by other police officers it was found to contain a meat cleaver, the court heard.

It was also revealed in court that both teenagers had previous offences for carrying knives.

Speaking after the conviction the Crown Prosecution Service's Mark Paul described the case as "tragic" as both boys were aged 16 at the time of the murder.

He added: "I hope this case sends out a message about the dangers of knife crime.

"Just carrying a knife in public is illegal and we will prosecute those who commit knife offences to the fullest extent of the law."