A drug dealer has been jailed for at least 23 years after he was found guilty of stabbing a 20-year-old to death outside a train station.

Florent Okende, 20, of Eastern Avenue, Gants Hill, was sentened at the Old Bailey of murdering Che Morrison in Cranbrook Road, Ilford Station on Tuesday, February 26.

Okende was also found guilty of carrying a bladed article in public and possession of cannabis, for which he was handed 12 month and eight-month sentences respectively.

The jury was told he proclaimed "I run Ilford" before stabbing Morrison in the upper body after a row began over a bag of cannabis.

The fatal wound was 17cms deep and the knife went through the gap between Morrison’s fourth and fifth ribs.

Immediately after the incident, Okende returned to a hotel he was staying at nearby and had a shower before disposing of the clothes he had been wearing.

Unaware that Morrsion had died, he then travelled to Stoke-on-Trent claiming he didn't feel safe in London before returning two-days later for his birthday.

He was arrested on Friday, March 1 and gave a no comment interview to investigators.

Okende claimed during the trial that he had feared for his life and believed Che was reaching for a knife during the fight.

However, CCTV shown to the jury did not back up his account.

During the trial, the court heard that Okende had a long list of previous convictions dating back to 2013, when he was just 14.

These included: robbery; theft; possession of cannabis, MDMA and cocaine; common assault; threats with a bladed weapon; assaulting a police constable; battery; criminal damage and affray.