A man has been convicted of the fatal stabbing of Jack Ampadu in Kentish Town.

Dwayne Stewart-Akers, 38, of Highgate Road, Kentish Town was found guilty at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, October 15 of murdering the Hampstead man in February.

He had entered a not guilty plea at the court on May 11.

Stewart-Akers is due to be sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on Thursday, October 21.

Detective Chief Inspector Claire Hine, the lead investigator, said: “This was a violent and unprovoked assault on a man who was – up until that moment – friends with the defendant.

“The ferocity of the attack was clear to see and left Jack Ampadu with a number of injuries which proved fatal.

“Shortly after the murder, Stewart-Akers pretended to be a victim but his ruse was identified and he was arrested by quick thinking officers.

“Our thoughts remain with Jack’s family.”

Police were called to a communal area at flats in Highgate Road shortly before 7.40pm on February 15.

Mr Ampadu, 37, was found with multiple stab wounds and died at the scene a short time later.

A post-mortem examination held at St Pancras Mortuary established the cause of death as a stab injury.

When officers arrived at the flats, they were met by Stewart-Akers who claimed that Mr Ampadu and his friend were still fighting on the landing.

Stewart-Akers quickly left the scene and was seen running away by other officers, who stopped and arrested him.

Detectives from the Met’s specialist crime command quickly established that Mr Ampadu had been friends with Stewart-Akers.

On the evening of the murder, Mr Ampadu had gone to visit him but an argument broke out between the two.

He left the flat but was followed by Stewart-Akers onto the landing where he launched a ferocious attack with a kitchen knife.

A review of CCTV footage confirmed what officers had been told, and captured the moment of the fatal stabbing.

A second man who was arrested was later released with no further action.