Model George Koh jailed for 25 years after stabbing rival Harry Uzoka to death in Shepherd's Bush

A model who killed his rival by stabbing him in the heart has been jailed for at least 25 years for murder.

George Koh, 24, became obsessed with Harry Uzoka and the pair had a dispute over a girlfriend, the Old Bailey was told.

The two met publicly in Shepherd’s Bush to settle the disagreement, after exchanging text messages, on January 11.

Mr Uzoka and his flatmate, Adrian Harper, took dumbbell bars as weapons.

Koh arrived equipped with two knifes and machete-wielding friend Merse Dikanda, 24, and personal trainer Jonathan Okigbo, 24, alongside him.

CCTV footage captured the broad daylight confrontation, in an area where children were playing, before Mr Uzoka, who was seen trying to flee, collapsed and died in the street outside his Shepherd's Bush home in west London.

Koh had plunged a blade deep into his heart.

Koh, from Camden, was handed a life sentence on Friday after he was found guilty of murder and pleaded guilty to possessing a knife.

He was told by Judge Wendy Joseph QC he must serve at least 25 years.

Dikanda, also from Camden, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 22 years after he was found guilty of murder and possessing knives.

Okigbo, of no fixed address, was jailed for 14 years after he was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

“The loss of any life is tragic, the more so when a victim is so young, able and generous," the judge said.

Mr Uzoka was signed with London's Premier Model Management agency and counted catwalk star Jourdan Dunn among his friends.

The Old Bailey heard Koh was obsessed with Mr Uzoka, who had recently landed a role in a movie.

The relationship deteriorated after Koh bragged to Paris-based model Annecetta Lafon that he had sex with Mr Uzoka's girlfriend, Ruby Campbell, who is also a model.

Ms Campbell did not give evidence at the trial but in a later Instagram post, including a picture of her and Mr Uzoka, insisted she had never met Koh.

She told of receiving "multiple death threats" because of the case.

The court heard that Koh, who was said to have turned his life around after he was jailed in 2012 for drug dealing, has written a letter to Mr Uzoka's family - who were sitting in court for the whole trial - expressing his "profound remorse".

Mr Uzoka's mother, Josephine Jackson, paid tribute to her "beautiful boy" who had helped to pay her mortgage and treated her to holidays abroad.

"Your short life enriched the lives of so many. You inspired so many people and touched them with your love. You will never be forgotten, my wonderful boy," she said in a victim impact statement.