One of the men involved in a brawl outside a rap show which resulted in the death of a student has been jailed for 11 years.

Kayode Badejo, who was a friend of murdered Andre Bent, stabbed a rival and hid the knife during the fracas which followed a show at Gallery nightclub in Maidstone by rapper MoStack two years ago.

The judge also ruled the 21-year-old - who admitted a number of offences - will have to serve an extra three years on licence after his release.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how Badejo was later caught in a car in Brixton, south London, with a gun and ammunition while on bail.

The Gallery incident is Badejo's fourth knife offence in a record which began with a robbery committed when he was just 14.

The judge, Recorder Stephen Denison QC told him: "You have not learned your lesson."

Prosecutor Jennifer Knight QC told how on August 25, 2019, Badejo, from Brixton, and Mr Bent had been to Gallery nightclub, Maidstone, where the rapper, whose real name is Montell Daley, was performing.

She said the group left the club at 3am at which point violence broke out in Jubilee Square after someone knocked out one of the rapper's entourage.

Dozens of people, some wielding belts, then took part in a mass punch up and Badejo and Mr Bent went to collect a US marines knife they had hidden earlier.

The judge told him: "Yet again you were carrying a knife as a weapon. You have said in a probation report that you carry a knife when you go out for your own protection and for re-assurance.

"It is that misguided attitude that carrying a knife somehow makes you safer that has led to the deaths and serious injury of so many young people and has caused so many others to spend long periods in prison."

The court heard how Badejo used the knife to stab Rheo Lawrence, 29, from Watford, in the back, leaving him with a serious internal injury.

The judge added: "It's a matter of luck that he didn't suffer a more serious injury. You could so easily have killed him."

During the same incident, teenager Vasilios Ofogeli, armed himself and went on a stabbing spree.

He knifed Joshua Robinson, Patrick Conceicao and Lucas Baker, creating mayhem on the streets of the town.

Then Ofogeli plunged the weapon into Badejo's pal Mr Bent. He was later convicted of murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent.

The judge said: "Andre was not as fortunate as Mr Lawrence and others and tragically he died."

Badejo was arrested but released on bail and in January 2020 was spotted driving a stolen Toyota Yaris car in Brixton.

Police gave chase as he sped away - driving dangerously by ignoring red lights, cutting up other motorists and forcing them to brake to avoid a collision.

Eventually, he lost control and the Toyota smashed into another vehicle and flew into the air before crashing into the central reservation.

Badejo, who was wearing latex gloves, then ran off, throwing away a bag containing a revolver and ammunition.

Badejo would later tell a probation officer he didn't know that the bag contained a weapon but the judge rejected that telling him: "I think you knew full well what was in that bag and that was why you drove in the way you did."

He ruled that Badejo – who admitted wounding with intent, possessing a prohibited weapon and ammunition, aggravated vehicle taking and drugs offence – posed a danger to the public and passed a 14-year extended jail sentence and disqualified him from driving.

Last week Channing Hart, 30, of Hertfordshire, was charged with violent disorder and assisting Ofogeli following the Gallery incident.

Another man is being investigated. Nine other people were sentenced following the attack.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Patrick Milford said: "This week marks the two-year anniversary of Andre’s tragic death, a much-loved young man, whose life was brought to an abrupt end by the most appalling and senseless violence.

"There has never been any doubt that the catalyst of his brutal murder was the outbreak of fighting on the street, which involved men including Badejo, and whilst Andre’s killer will rightly remain in prison for many years we also remain committed to ensuring justice is served on anyone else involved in these events, which have caused so much pain and suffering to Andre’s loved ones and friends."

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