An teenager has been sentenced to at least 18 years in prison for the murder of another man during a gang brawl at the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford in June 2012.
Nii-Azu Kojo Smith, 19, stabbed Liam Woodards, 24, in the chest during a fight between two rival gangs, which was sparked by the throwing of a yoghurt pot.
Woodards was described as “mouthy”, but is not believed to have thrown anything during the clash. However, he was stabbed by Kojo Smith in a “disproportionate and lethal reaction” according to the prosecution, with the jury finding Kojo Smith guilty with a majority of 11 to 1.
Woodards was stabbed as gang members threw metal chairs and brandished knives at each other, in what Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee QC described as a “joint pitch battle”.
Danny Caton, 24, and Anselm Legemah, 19, were convicted of violent disorder for their involvement in the brawl and four others were cleared of that charge. Five other defendants have pleaded guilty to various other offences in connection with the incident.
