Two teenagers who murdered an innocent university student with a "Rambo-style knife" in a gang revenge attack have been jailed for life.

The boys were both aged just 14 when they took a minicab to look for youths in South Harrow to seek retribution against rival gang members for an attack on one of their own.

The teen murderers, now both aged 15, were handed life sentences at the Old Bailey on Monday (July 24).

Hussein Ahmed, 19, described as a "peaceful" university student, suffered massive blood loss and died in hospital three days after he was stabbed once in the back outside South Harrow Tube station on November 18 last year.

Hussein Ahmed was murdered on November 18 outside Kebabish takeaway on Northolt Road

Detectives believe that the the 19-year-old, who had no links to gangs, had been riding his bike near the station at around 5.10pm, and sustained the fatal injury after trying to intervene to protect other teenagers he knew from being attacked.

The Old Bailey trial heard the convicted youths joined forces on the afternoon of November 18 2016, at the Grahame Park Estate, in Grahame Park Way, Barnet.

Police believe they had been tipped off as to the whereabouts of an intended target from a rival gang who they were determined to track down - constituting a "call to arms", as investigating officers described it.

Just after 5pm that day, a cab hired by one of the trio from the estate - having already made a stop-off along the way - was told to stop in Eastcote Road and wait.

The teenagers were seen to disappear in the direction of Northolt Road.

The group attacked two 18-year-old youths in Parkfield Road by slashing them with knives, causing minor injuries.

While one of these victims was running away, Hussein was seen riding his bike down Northolt Road apparently deliberately heading towards the group of attackers.

Shortly afterwards, a witness driving past saw Hussein having words with one of the group before he appeared to walk away in an effort to avoid any conflict.

Seconds later he saw Hussein being stabbed from behind with what he described as a large eight or nine inch "Rambo" or combat style hunting knife.

Hussein staggered to nearby kebab shop, Kebabish, where he collapsed, fatally wounded.

Kebabish on Northolt Road, where Hussein was fatally stabbed

He was rushed to hospital by emergency services, but three days later on November 21 2016, his life support machine was turned off.

CCTV images, taken from a shop in the minutes after the violent assault, that were shown in court, reveal one of the boys wielding a large knife that he is trying to conceal in his clothing.

After the eight-minute rampage, which took place during rush hour, the attackers returned to the waiting minicab , telling the unwitting driver: "Drive boss."

The driver described the teenagers as "happy" as they left the scene, "shouting and gesturing" at their dying victim.

The prosecution case asserted the 14-mile round trip had no other purpose than to deliberately find a young male victim to stab.

The driver later found a purple latex glove in the footwell of his cab, which was later recovered by police and was identical to one seen on CCTV footage being worn by the knife-weilding boy at the time of the assault.

Police also noted that the main suspects all disposed of their mobile phones soon after the murder had taken place.

'The use of knives... without regard for the sanctity of human life is all too prevalent in London'

Both 15-year-olds cried and wailed in the dock at the Old Bailey last month as they were convicted of murder as well as the wounding and attempted wounding.

"The way you behaved that night showed a total disregard for human life," Judge Anthony Leonard QC told them as he sentenced them to detention for life.

The boy found to be the stabber was told he must serve 16 years, while the other must serve at least 14 years before he is considered for parole.

The judge said the use of disposable surgical gloves by those carrying the knives was "chilling evidence" of the planning involved in the attack.

"You have been convicted of murder, arising from a revenge attack on what you believed to be members of a rival gang," the judge told them.

"The use of knives in the hands of young people who injure and kill without regard for the sanctity of human life is all too prevalent in London."

A 16-year-old youth was cleared of involvement, while a fourth suspect was said to have fled abroad.

None of the youths can be named due to legal reasons.

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