Life for party knifeman who murdered 16-year-old boy

A knifeman who stabbed a 16-year-old party guest to death in what a judge said was any parent's "worst nightmare" was jailed for life today.

Wesley Sterling was killed by Carleto Salmons outside another youth's 16th birthday party at a sports arena in Croydon. Salmons, 28, of Thornton Heath, was convicted of murder and must serve at least 20 years for the "cowardly" crime.

The Old Bailey heard he may have mistakenly believed that trainee carpenter Wesley was part of a gang who "rushed" people as they left the party, but he was actually trying to get back in when trouble flared outside.

Judge Giles Forrester told Salmons, the partner of the party host's mother, that "the killing of this youth has been to the despair of his family. Without any warning you stabbed him, a single blow to the heart. He was unarmed. He did not attack you or threaten you."

After committing the crime, the killer cleaned the knife and slipped away under a police cordon, later disposing of his jacket and shaving off his beard to try to avoid being identified.