The man convicted for killing a 17-year-old Edmonton student in a nightclub will spend at least 27 years behind bars.

Tristan Walker, 21, of Reed Road in Tottenham, shot dancer Annaka Pinto in the head in the Swan Pub in Tottenham in June 2007.

Yesterday a judge at the Old Bailey sentenced Walker to life in prison with a minimum of 27 years before release.

Annaka had been living in Upper Edmonton with her aunt for 10 years after coming to the country from Jamaica, leaving her mother and father behind to go to school in Haringey.

But her life was cut tragically short when she was shot dead by Walker in a pub-turned-nightclub, The Swan, in White Hart Lane, in the early hours of June 23.

Annaka had just finished her GCSES at Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham when she was shot once in the head by Walker after an argument between members of her dance group The X Squad and the sister of Walker's girlfriend, Simone Manning.

Annaka's friend Melissa Green told the court Manning phoned them up and began swearing over the phone. Walker then arranged a meeting between the two sides at Bruce Grove in Tottenham, but it deteriorated into a fight involving beer bottles.

In the early hours of June 23 2007, the X Squad girls were dancing at the party when Walker, Manning and their friends arrived just after 3am.

CCTV captured the moment Annaka was hit in the head with a single bullet as the club closed at 5am.

Miss Green told the Old Bailey she saw Walker pull a gun out of his waist band and point it at the girls. She heard the shot fire and saw Annaka collapse on the floor. Annaka died in hospital later that day.

Her father died the following weekend in Jamaica, allegedly from the trauma of losing his daughter.

Last Thursday a jury at the Old Bailey convicted Walker, of Reed Road in Tottenham, of murder. Friend Ricardo Lumsden, 32, of Sheldon Road in Edmonton, was also found guilty of helping Walker escape police.

After shooting Annaka, Walker fled the scene and Lumsden helped arrange him a safehouse, first in Essex and later in Cowley, Oxford.

When Lumsden was arrested for another offence a month later in July, armed police stormed Walker's hiding place and arrested him.

Case Officer, DI Jackie Murphy, said: "It is hard to comprehend that a comment aimed at disrespecting someone can lead to the death of a talented young woman.

"This was a senseless, gratuitous act committed by Walker, who believed that carrying a gun gave him power and street credibility over everybody else.

"I want to thank those who were witnesses in this case, for their courage in coming forward and giving evidence in such difficult circumstance."

After Annaka's death her friends at Gladesmore School paid tribute to their friend in an anti-gun and knife march. Pupils streamed the streets wearing t-shirts dedicated to their murdered friend.

Annaka's aunt Jenny Mitchell addressed the Value Life march. She said: "I'm asking you to support life. The gun and knife crime you know is a killer."

Simone Manning,22, of Reed Road in Tottenham, and Marlon Golding,25, of Park Lane Close, Tottenham, also accused of assisting Walker, were found not guilty.