A man has been found guilty of manslaughter after a teenager was found dead in a town centre alleyway after being stabbed in the chest.

Chris Enaruba, from Copper Mead Close, Cricklewood, fatally wounded 18-year-old Denzel Njemo during an assault in Dartford earlier this year.

Enaruba, 19, and an associate had travelled to the town to meet the victim on the evening of April 14.

When the pair met in the High Street, Enaruba lunged at Mr Njemo with a knife, inflicting an injury to his leg.

This led to a fight and shortly after the victim was stabbed again, this time in the chest.

Police and paramedics were called to the town centre, but Mr Njemo died at the scene.

Before officers arrived, Enaruba discarded his jacket and the knife near an electricity sub-station before heading to Darent Valley Hospital for treatment of some of his injuries.

The jacket and knife were found when the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate launched an investigation – As a result, on April 15, Enaruba and his associate were arrested in Gillingham.

Enaruba was charged with murder, which he denied, and a trial was held at Maidstone Crown Court.

On Friday, a jury found the defendant not guilty, but instead convicted him on the lesser charge of manslaughter. Sentencing will take place on December 14.

The 19-year-old associate who had travelled to Dartford with Enaruba was found not guilty after being charged with assisting an offender.

An inquest opening into the student’s death was held on April 27 at County Hall in Maidstone.

The court heard how Mr Njemo died in a passage linking Suffolk Road and Dartford High Street.

His cause of death was given as a haemorrhage and stab wound to the chest.

A GoFundMe page was set up by his family which can be found here.

Senior investigating officer, detective inspector Ross Gurden, said: “While he may never have intended to kill Mr Njemo, Enaruba had travelled into Dartford armed with a knife and he had little hesitation in using what proved to be a deadly weapon.

“Ultimately Enaruba’s actions have cut short a young life and devasted an entire family.

“Mr Njemo attended the local college in Dartford and had plans to attend university.

“Instead of seeing their son grow older and work towards a career, his parents now have to come to terms with the needless and senseless loss of a much-loved son, and brother to a younger sister.”