A killer who battered and stabbed a man to death a

A killer who battered and stabbed a man to death after he sent romantic text messages to his girlfriend has been jailed for life.

Zahid Emani, 19, was among a vicious mob of three youths who hunted down and beat curry house worker Ansah Miah, 25.

The terrified victim was chased into the kitchens of the Jasmin takeaway in Kidbrooke, south east London, where Emani picked up a knife and plunged it into his back three times.

With blood pouring from six inch-deep wounds to his heart and lungs, Mr Miah managed to stagger from the restaurant.

He fled into neighbouring cab firm Kidbrooke Cars chased by Emani and his pals Suhel Khan, 21, and Mohammed Kassam, 19.

Emani was handed a wheelbrace by Khan, and he mercilessly clubbed his victim about the head before leaving with the mob.

Minutes later Emani telephoned his pals to brag about attacking Mr Miah, who died in hospital that day.

The court heard Emani had become incensed after his girlfriend Pharhana Begum had received the text messages on her mobile surrounded by a love heart graphic.

Khan’s girlfriend had also received telephone calls from the victim and flirty text messages.

Emani admitted during his trial he became enraged when Mr Miah ran off instead of facing up to a beating.

‘I went in the cab office and started lashing him.

I went into a rage,’ Emani said.

He insisted he had no intention to kill the victim when he hit him with the wheelbrace and denied stabbing him.

But the Old Bailey jury rejected his account to convict Emani of murder.

Khan, who drove the killer and his friends from the scene was jailed for nine months for violent disorder.

And overweight Kassam was given six months behind bars for violent disorder during the incident on June 29 last year.

Two other men, Altabur Rahman and Belal Miah, both 20, were cleared of conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

The court heard Emani has previous convictions for robbery, attempted robbery and possession of a lock knife.

Emani, of no fixed address, Khan, of Arcadian Gardens, Wood Green, north London and Kassam of Whitmore Street, Walsall, West Midlands, hung their heads in shame as the Recorder of London, Judge Michael Hyam sentenced the trio.

He told Emani: ‘You have been convicted on plain evidence.

You picked up a knife in circumstances which no-one will ever know and stabbed Mr Miah in the back killing him.

‘You lost your temper before you went into the kitchen intent on causing serious harm.

‘

Outside court a member of the victim’s family who did not want to be named said: ‘Ansah died because of innocent affection.

He didn’t know she had a boyfriend.

‘He was a very lively, understanding mature person.

We all miss him.

‘
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