Teenager faces life after conviction for stabbing murder of bike boy

A teenager is facing a life sentence for stabbing a 15-year-old boy to death as he tried to steal his bicycle.

Joshua Williams, 18, lashed out with a blade as popular young student Alan Cartwright was riding along Caledonian Road, north London, with his friends in February.

At the time of the attack caught on graphic CCTV, Williams had been on police bail on suspicion of possessing a four-inch lock knife although he was never charged.

A jury took just three hours on Thursday to find Williams guilty of Alan's murder and conspiracy to rob.

His co-defendants,18-year-old Shaquille Roberts and a 16-year-old have already pleaded guilty to the bicycle robbery and are also awaiting sentence.

Alan's family wept in court as the verdict was delivered before issuing a call for more stop and searches and tougher 10-year mandatory sentences for possessing knives to deter young people.

His death made headlines as "another tragic example of the knife crime that blights our society", prosecutor Jonathan Rees QC had told the court.

On the evening of February 27, Alan was cycling with five friends when Williams and two other youths intercepted them, the trial heard.

In just seven seconds, they stepped out in front of the cyclists and managed to take two bikes before the third robber approached Alan in the road and swung a knife at his chest in a "deliberate and gratuitous" stabbing, Mr Rees said.

Despite being mortally wounded, Alan did not come off his bike and he managed to cycle on before collapsing a short distance up the road outside the Cally swimming pool.

He was pronounced dead a short time later despite the efforts of a first aider, police and paramedics.

Judge Rebecca Poulet QC is due to pass sentence at the Old Bailey today.