A teenage murderer has been jailed for life just hours after apologising for killing his former pal in a drugs war in Ashford.

Osita Alagbaoso, reading from a letter, told the family of victim Jaydon McFarlane: "I'm sorry. I know I have done wrong.

CCTV footage of Alagbaoso and Matimba. Video: Kent Police

"Words cannot describe the pain I have inflicted on you. I am truly sorry for what I have done and I will never be able to make up with him. I never wanted this to happen."

The 18-year-old will be detained at Her Majesty's Pleasure for 20 years after what a judge called a "chilling and disturbing" killing and the stabbing of another victim.

He told him he had left his victim to die, had showed no remorse and later celebrated the death.

Judge David Griffith-Jones QC said: "You knew perfectly what you were doing and you knew it was wrong. You exemplified, glorified and fomented violence."

He rejected the teenager's expressions of remorse saying he continues to pose a high risk to others.

Alagbaoso remained impassive as the judge told him he may not be released after the minimum term and will only be released when he is viewed as no longer posing a threat to the public.

Alagbaoso, from Hoppers Way, Ashford, had been part of a drugs gang called YTB but then started another gang NPB and fell out with Mr McFarlane.

The court heard how a fall-out between rival gangs intensified and spilled onto the streets – with Alagbaoso "glorifying in the violence".

He said Alagbaoso and others from rival gangs exchanged taunts "which were disgusting and uncivilised".

"The hostility was the manifestation of a drugs war and NPB was a violent street gang and Alagbaoso relished the conflict and projected the image of someone ready to use violence.

"The messages they published included references to 'slicing', 'juicing' and 'slashing', Maidstone Crown Court heard.

In March, Alagbaoso armed himself with two knives and encountered Mr McFarlane intending on using them with whom he was "at war".

He spotted his rival and plunged a knife into Mr McFarlane when the blade broke, but then took out a Rambo knife and chased after his injured rival "intending on finishing him off".

Mr McFarlane collapsed and died a 1.34pm that day after the 17cm deep wound had cut his spine and pierced his lung.

The victim didn't have a chance and never had a weapon, the judge ruled.

The judge heard how one of the gang acquitted of taking part in a murder later gloated about the brutal killing.

Church-going rapper Joseph Matimba was found not guilty of murder in March last year.

Prosecutor Richard Barraclough QC spoke at the two-day hearing for his sentencing of "a deliberate cold blooded murderer" by Alagbaoso.

He was convicted by the same jury who cleared Matimba.

The prosecutor said that Matimba was "an enthusiastic gang member involved in carrying knives and drug dealing."

"He took gratuitous delight in the murder of Jaydon McFarlane and showed his approval of a rap song about the murder. He also said: "Stick that ***** bruv', "

Mr Barraclough said the prosecution rejected claims he is now remorseful or has made any attempt to turn around his life.

He said after being released on bail, pending sentence for perverting the course of justice, he had posted things on social media, showing him smoking cannabis.

Matimba also wrote: "Two man down (corr)... two spliffs." This undoubtedly being a reference to Jaydon McFarlane and the death of another male.

The court was shown copies of Snapchat logs in which Matimba posted a copy of a witness statement, a film of inside Maidstone Crown Court.

He also also bragged about "not snitching" and gloated about how he was acquitted of murder.

He wrote: "My brother I had your back in court" and in another one: "My brother, we started this ****. Make sure I see it through to the end".

Adding: "If I could turn back clocks...I wouldn't."

Well-educated Matimba, 19, of Bodiam Road in London, was acquitted of the killing but convicted of perverting the course of justice by providing a change of clothes brought to an Ashford takeaway restaurant.

The talented rapper, who has since moved to Leicester, was locked up for 18 months in a young offender institution after the judge also rejected any claims of remorse. But because he has served 450 days on remand he will be released immediately.

The judge said he needed to take "a long hard look at yourself and stop feeling sorry for yourself".

And a third defendant, Hassan Tejan, 25, of Crownfield Road, Ashford, was not a gang member but had helped his friends in "a gross error of judgment".

He admitted the same offence and was jailed for 12 months.

The prosecutor told how the violence spilled out on the streets in Ashford in January last year with the stabbing of Kaseem Ibrahim by Alagbaoso to enforce a drugs debt.

It ended in the slaughter of Mr McFarlane – who was "no angel" – in March after he had completed a drugs deal with two people.

After the stabbing Alagbaoso fled to Canterbury helped by Matimba and Tejan, who gave him fresh clothes and a vehicle – as police searched Ashford.

En route, the van ran out of fuel and Alagbaoso and Matimba hid while Tejan refuelled the vehicle before taking the killer to a safe house.

While there an inmate and pal of Alagbaoso called him to celebrate the death of Mr McFarlane.

The calls were taped and played to the jury and the judge said they were "sickening" adding that "No-one who heard that recording will ever forget them".

The judge then commended the police officers who dealt with the murder investigation.

Commenting on the sentencing, Detective Superintendent Gavin Moss, senior investigating officer for the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Alagbaoso is a dangerous man who seemingly had no qualms about turning threats sent on social media into acts of serious and fatal violence.

"The death of Jaydon McFarlane will have an everlasting impact on his family and friends and I would like to thank them for their support during this investigation and the resulting trial.

"I am pleased the sentence handed down reflects the seriousness of this murder and that our investigation has also led to two people who assisted Alagbaoso being taken off of the streets of Ashford."