A man killed a teenager by stabbing him in the neck in an “unprovoked and unjustified” attack in Finchley.

Tyrese Jennings, 21, attacked 18-year-old Yusuf Mohamoud in Regents Park Road on the evening of August 7 last year.

Yesterday (July 11), an Old Bailey jury found Jennings not guilty of murder, but guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter by a majority of 10 to two.

Two youths, aged 16 and 17, were cleared of the same charges after the jury deliberated for 23 hours.

Prosecutor Alan Gardner KC had alleged that it was an “unprovoked, unjustified” attack.

The trial heard that Yusuf and three other men had gone into a takeaway in Regents Park Road shortly before 9pm.

The 16-year-old defendant allegedly spotted Yusuf, then spoke to Jennings by phone and contacted the 17-year-old defendant, who cycled to the scene.

Jennings came out of his house in nearby Lichfield Grove with a large knife and wearing a ski mask.

Although the two youths were present at the scene of the stabbing, it was Jennings who struck the fatal blow, the court was told.

The three defendants fled the scene but were arrested and charged with murder a few days later.

Following his arrest, Jennings issued a prepared statement in which he claimed to have acted in self defence.

He claimed the victim spoke to him aggressively and he believed he was about to be robbed of his mobile phone.

He stated: “As I approached the corner of Lichfield Grove the victim moved closer to me touching his waist, I believed that I was about to be stabbed and that it was him or me.

“I produced a knife I had been carrying in self defence and tried to ward him off with it.

“At all times I acted in lawful self defence.”

Mr Gardner said that it was discovered the victim had been armed with a large knife as he was being treated by paramedics.

The blade was strapped to his leg within two pairs of trousers in a sheath, the court had heard.

The two youths admitted being at the scene on bikes but denied participating in a joint enterprise with Jennings to kill or cause really serious harm to the victim.

Following the verdicts, Judge Mark Dennis KC adjourned sentencing Jennings to August 27.

Reporting by PA.