Four jailed for 'mindless' street murder

Four thugs who stabbed an innocent man to death have been sentenced to long jail terms.

Kowshar Hussain, 24, was attacked as he retrieved a baby seat from a car on his way to collecting his brother-in-law's wife.

He had agreed to do a favour for Shabir Ali, who had been involved in a scuffle with the men nearby and did not want to go out, fearing reprisals.

Mr Hussain, who had been married 17 months, was stabbed nine times in the back and chest and died in hospital within an hour.

Liam Whitnell, 28, Jonathan Joseph-Bell, 25, and brothers Robert Lawrence, 22, and Anthony Fraser, 33, all from Stepney, were convicted of murder after a month-long trial at the Old Bailey.

Jailing them for life, Judge Richard Hone QC said: "This is another London street stabbing of a totally innocent family man who was mindlessly murdered by the four of you."

The judge described Lawrence as a "totally ruthless killer" who had gone looking for revenge after believing he had been insulted in the earlier row.

Lawrence and Fraser will serve at least 26 years. Whitnell and Joseph-Bell were both given a minimum term of 24 years.