A man accused of hunting down and stabbing his pre
A man accused of hunting down and stabbing his prey to death on Christmas Day has been cleared of all charges.
Akhtar Hussain, 19, was acquitted of murder, manslaughter and violent disorder by a unanimous decision in under two hours.
He had refused to enter the witness box and the jury was unswayed by the testimony for the prosecution by two members of his gang.
Hussain’s cousin Safdar, 20, has pleaded guilty to murder and four others have admitted lesser charges of violent disorder and affray.
They will be sentenced on November 28.
It was claimed Akhtar Hussain tracked down 19 year-old Pervinder Rayatt in revenge for his humiliating defeat in a fist fight.
He and six friends were caught on CCTV closing in on their prey returning from a night out in Leicester Square.
The Old Bailey was told Akhtar ran up to Rayatt, stabbed him in the back and chased him through St James’ Square before repeatedly stabbing him and slashing his face.
Shabhaz Khan, 20, and Feroz Khan, 18, who have pleaded guitly to affray, described seeing Akhtar standing over Pervinder Rayatt and making stabbing movements.
His gang then surrounded Ryatt in Duke of York Street and hit him with a metal cosh, a stick and broken drinks bottles.
A post mortem revealed Rayatt died from multiple stab wounds.
Ten separate stab wounds were seen on the back, chest, shoulder and legs and the face had been cut.
He suffered further injuries to the back of the head and brousing consistent with being hit by a blunt object.
Akhtar Hussain, of Woolsey Avenue, Walthamstow, denied the charges of murder and violent disorder.
Safdar Hussain, of West Avenue, Walthamstow, has admitted murder.
Feroz and Shabbaz Khan have admitted affray and Surfraz Ghaffar and Tariq Bokhari have pleaded guilty to violent disorder.
A seventh member of the group was charged due to insufficient evidence.
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