Drill rapper jailed for life for murder after trying to evade arrest in Leeds and Manchester

Javell Hall, 18, and his co-defendant Kofi Abusah, 20, were found guilty of killing rail worker Asante Campbell following a trial at the Old Bailey.

On Friday, they were handed life sentences each with a minimum term of 19 years.

The court heard heard how Mr Campbell, 24, had kissed his fiancee and their baby daughter goodnight before setting off for a shift on the evening of February 29 2019.

He had been waiting to meet a colleague at the estate in Hendon, north London, when he was attacked by a group of males, jurors were told.

Mr Campbell was stabbed through his car window and died from his injuries.

In his defence, Hall claimed DNA matching his profile found on the sheaf of a large knife used in the stabbing must have belonged to his twin.

He said: “It’s not my DNA. I never touched that knife. If it’s not mine, it must be his.”

But a jury rejected his claim and found Hall, from Hayes, and Abusah, of Edgware, guilty of murder.

On Friday, the court heard how Hall had evaded arrest until June last year by travelling to Leeds and Manchester.

The well-known rapper had a previous conviction for having a large combat knife in September 2016, shortly before his 14th birthday.

At the time of the murder he was on court bail over an incident at a supermarket for which others went on to admit affray.