A man has been found guilty of the murder of Kelva Smith, a 20-year-old from Croydon.

Mr Smith was killed in a sudden, violent knife attack on March 5 in South Norwood, following a dispute over a stolen motorbike.

Tyrone Farquharson, 20, of Archer Road, South Norwood, was convicted today (October 25) at the Old Bailey after four days of jury deliberations.

Farquharson, who knew Mr Smith well, was also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon, a knife.

A 16-year-old boy from East Croydon was convicted of possessing an axe, but was found not guilty of murder.

Another 14-year-old boy, from South Norwood, was found not guilty on all counts.

The court heard how Farquharson stabbed Mr Smith five times with a large 'rambo' style knife.

Farquharson and the two other defendants, one of whom brandished an axe, attacked Mr Smith and his cousin, Levi Sargeant, on Archer Road at around 5pm.

Mr Smith suffered injuries to his left side and abdomen.

The victims ran off, pursued by the defendants, onto Albert Road, where Mr Smith collapsed on the pavement.

As their attackers fled, Mr Smith's cousin and members of the public came to help him.

Despite the efforts of ambulance services, Mr Smith died from internal bleeding resulting from the wound to his abdomen at 5.34pm.

The incident was witnessed by a number of alarmed members of the public, one of whom one saw Farquharson walking home after the attack laughing and joking.

The defendants spent under a minute inside Farquharson's address before making for an alleyway off Albert Road, apparently looking for somewhere to dispose of their weapons.

The weapons, however, were never recovered.

Farquharson and the 16-year-old handed themselves into Lewisham police station the day after Kelva's murder. The other boy, aged 14, also handed himself in on March 9. 

Mr Smith arranged to meet Farquharson to discuss a motorbike he had stolen from Gordon Crescent, Croydon, several weeks before.

Mr Smith intended to sell the bike, however it had gone missing the previous evening.

On March 5 his brother told him that Farquharson and a 14-year-old had been seen riding it in the local area.

After speaking to Farquharson on the phone, Mr Smith became frustrated, feeling that Farquharson was lying about whether he had the bike or if he would return it.

On Archer Road, Mr Smith and Mr Sargeant were approached by the defendants.

After an angry exchange, Farquharson attacked.

The bike at the centre of the dispute was later found round the back of flats on Albert Road.

Detective Sergeant Rob Tickle, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Kelva Smith died close to his home; ambushed and attacked by someone he once considered a friend.

"This young man lost his life due to a disagreement over a motorbike. He suffered appalling injuries in the middle of a busy street where families live and play.

"This was not a gang-related crime, nor was it postcode-related; it was a senseless and preventable one, committed by Farquarson making poor choices to resolve a dispute by carrying knives and weapons with deadly consequences.

"Now there are two families who are suffering through the wasted potential of young lives close to them, some through the guilty verdicts handed down today and most tragically, through the family of Kelva Smith having to bury their son. This has to stop.

"Since the day of Kelva's murder, individuals accused individuals before the court have sought to frustrate the investigation and have treated the seriousness of the trial with utter contempt and disdain.

"Shouting from the dock and laughing and joking between themselves, they showed Kelva and his family as little dignity in death as they did in the final moments of his life.

"Today's verdicts also reflect the relentless hard work of the Homicide detectives who continue day after day, to work incredibly hard to ensure that yet another evidentially strong case was put before the court to ensure justice was done."