Teenage street robber faces jail

A street robber who jeered and mocked his victim's family after being cleared of a murder at Ilford station faces a long prison sentence, at the Old Bailey today.

Trevor "Tiny" Hodges, 18, admitted robbing lawyer Sajid Chishti and was convicted of violent disorder.

But he was found not guilty of stabbing him despite the evidence of an eye witnesses who said she saw him knifingthe victim. The Crown told the jury that he could be seen on CCTV footage performing a victory dance as a crowd of youths ran riot in Ilford High Road and Mr Chishti bled to death.

After the jury's verdict, he taunted the grieving family of Mr Chishti, 33, who had been an innocent passer by on his way to a Chinese restaurant but died in front of passengers in the station forecourt.

Today Hodges will also be sentenced for a series of vicious carjacks armed with a knife and carried out with accomplice Linden George, 19.

Hodges had also been arrested for the murder of an Asian shopkeeper in Forest Gate, east London, in January 1999 but the charge was later dropped.