The murderer of Nilanthan Murddi was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court today.

Father of four Stephen Braithwaite, 31, was given a life sentence by Judge David Radford this afternoon.

The unemployed labourer was convicted on Friday of stabbing the teenager after previously racially abusing him from the back of a taxi.

Tamil student Nilanthan, 17, and a group of friends were celebrating a birthday by drinking in a car park at the top of Sumner Road, Croydon, in the early hours of August 16 last year.

Friends of Nilanthan told the court he was drunk and starting fights with people passing by.

One of those was Braithwaite, an unemployed labourer, who yelled “Pakis” at the group from the back of a passing cab.

Nilanthan tried to pull Braithwaite from the cab.

About 20 minutes after the cab drove off, Braithwaite returned to the group swigging from a can of lager and armed with a knife, he stabbed Nilanthan in the neck.

Detective Inspector Andy Booth, in charge of the investigation, said: “The family are satisfied with the verdict but won’t be seeing their son in 19 years time.

“The witnesses in this case have had their characters and their ability to give evidence questioned.

“The family and the witnesses have sat dignified throughout the whole process.

“Somebody carried a knife on the streets of London and being prepared to use it cost a young man his life.

“Nilanthan’s family have received a life sentence without him.

“Young people do not think about the consequences of carrying a knife.”

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