Drugs row killer jailed for life

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A man who murdered a 21-year-old trying to stop drugs being sold to his younger brother has been jailed for life.

Adnan Patel was stabbed twice in the chest in Stratford, east London, in July 2008, the Old Bailey heard.

Akeel Shah, 24, from Leytonstone, east London, was part of a gang which confronted Mr Patel. Shah was told he would serve a minimum of 15 years.

Three other men, who were convicted of violent disorder over the incident, were also given custodial sentences.

Clint D'Mello , 24, of Stratford, was jailed for four years while Moneeb Khalid, 21, of Manor Park, was jailed for 30 months and Mohsin Akram, 19, of Bradymead, Beckton, was given 28 months' youth detention.

Judge Anthony Morris said: "The loss of his life over such a trifling dispute must be incomprehensible to his family."

Shah was convicted of murder on 5 August.

The court heard Mr Patel was the eldest of five brothers and felt responsible for the family after his father's death.

Crashed car

On the day of the attack his 14-year-old brother had been excluded from school after being found with cannabis.

Mr Patel and his brothers subsequently confronted D'Mello, who the boy said had supplied the drugs.

D'Mello denied the claim but Mr Patel confronted him again later that day.

Mr Patel was then surrounded by a gang near his home and stabbed on each side of his chest.

After the attack Mr Patel drove off in his car but crashed into another vehicle. He collapsed and died as he got out of the car.