A teenager who was found in a Kent town after stabbing a 15-year-old boy with a machete has been jailed for life.

Jay Hughes, 15, was murdered outside a chicken shop in London in November 2018 after three youths, armed with blades, jumped out of a black Ford Galaxy and ran towards him and a friend.

Nyron Baptiste, 18, from Penge, was found guilty of murdering Mr Hughes in an unprovoked attack on Saturday, June 20, after being arrested in Gravesend on Monday, December 10.

He appeared at the Old Bailey today and was sentence to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 19 years.

Mr Hughes friend was chased by three of the masked youths, while Baptiste targeted the 15-year-old, who was standing still, stabbing him in the chest and piercing his heart.

Officers tracked Baptiste's address in Penge after identifying the car and were executed a warrant on Friday, November 23.

The horrifying moment a man who was later found in Gravesend jumped out of a car to attack and kill a 15-year-old

However, he had already fled the area and was on the run for more than two weeks.

He was later arrested in Gravesend after officers recognised him walking along the street.

When detained by police a large hunting knife was found in the waistband of his trousers and he was further arrested for possession of a bladed article and later charged.

The Judge in her sentencing remarks stated that she was in no doubt that the “brazen, quick and ruthless attack” was planned and that Baptiste had intended to kill the victim.

In a victim impact statement from Jay's mother Cindy Hughes, she said: "Jay was my first son and was very special to me. I was proud of the young man he was becoming and proud to call him my son. I loved his zest for life, his confidence, his positivity, his fantastic sense of humour his constant smile and most of all his kind heart.

"We shared some great times together joking and laughing as he reminded me so much, of myself at his age. He was just a normal teenager but was always respectful, which was a quality he also tried to instil in his younger brothers.

“I have so many special memories of Jay. Even from a baby, he always had something in his mouth. From a dummy as a baby to bottles of drink, straws – even held his headphones in his mouth. He loved playing with his toys, especially his Ben 10.

"I remember teaching him to ride a bike, so well. He persisted until he could do it and never got off the rest of his life. He went everywhere on it. Even one of his teacher’s eulogy referred to “that blessed bike!”

“During the last nine months I have been through, and am still going through a range of emotions – shock, devastation, confusion, anger, denial. I am so empty and sad inside it is heart-wrenching. It is like a part of me has died as well.

“Nyron Jean Baptise, you need to realise that you have changed our lives forever and that we are the ones left serving a life sentence.

"My only hope for you is that you can be truly rehabilitated and return to society as a better person. One day if you have children of your own, you may begin to understand the devasting impact your actions had on the lives of so many people.”

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