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Nine men have been jailed for their involvement in a brawl outside a Maidstone nightclub which resulted in the murder of 21-year-old Andre Bent.
The South Bank University student from London was stabbed to death in the early hours of Sunday, August 25 last year when fighting broke out in the street outside Gallery nightclub.
His killer, 17-year-old Vasilios Ofogeli, was found guilty of murder last month following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
A jury heard how Ofogeli was one of a group of friends who had travelled to Maidstone from London to watch a performance at a nightclub in the town, which ended just before 3am on the morning in question.
He knifed Joshua Robinson, Patrick Conceicao and Lucas Baker, creating mayhem on the streets of the town.
Then Ofogeli, now 17, from London, plunged the weapon into Mr Bent, before trying to get a lift with rapper MoStack, real name Montell Daley.
The jury took just under 12 hours to convict the smirking Ofogeli of murder, two charges of attempted murder and one of wounding with intent.
He is due to be sentenced on May 20, which will keep him locked up for a long time in an institute for young offenders.
The fight which broke out was captured CCTV, and showed people appearing to be punching, kicking and hitting each other with belts.
In the hours following, a large amount of mobile phone footage was posted on social media, and together with CCTV evidence detectives were able to establish exactly who had been involved.
The following nine men were all arrested in the days and weeks that followed, and pleaded guilty to violent disorder prior to their sentencing at Reading Crown Court today.
Vasilios Ofogeli was found guilty of murder last month
· Ryan Lowe-White, 22, of Boyton Close, Hornsey – sentenced to one year and eight months
· Ali Aziz, 24, of no fixed address – sentenced to one year and 10 months
· Nathaniel Small, 22, of Boyton Road, Hornsey – sentenced to two years
· Mohamed Gelani, 24, of Newland Road, Hornsey – sentenced to one year and nine months
· Darien Thompson-Cox, 21, of Raleigh Road, Hornsey – sentenced to two years and two months
· Yusuf Aweys, 20, of Holly Park Road, New Southgate – sentenced to one year and 11 months
· Jerral Johnson-Lowe, 26, of Boyton Close, Hornsey – sentenced to two years
· Kaline Riley, 23, of Campsfield Road, Hornsey – sentenced to one year and nine months
· Rheo Lawrence, 29, of Otley Way in Watford, Hertfordshire – sentenced to one year and 11 months
"I hope the sentences imposed by the court today send a clear message"
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Milford said: "These nine men came from London to Maidstone to watch a musical performance at a local nightclub but brought with them a level of violence that was shocking to witness.
"While none of those sentenced today dealt the fatal blow that ended Andre Bent’s life, it is safe to say he would still be alive today if the fighting had never broken out in the first place.
"I hope the sentences imposed by the court today send a clear message to others that we do not tolerate such violence here in Kent and will not rest until those responsible are tracked down and brought to justice."
