An Old Bailey jury found a Romford man not guilty of murdering 15-year-old Joel Adesina today.

Georgie Phillips, 20, of Hood Walk, Romford was cleared of murdering the Wood Lane teenager, who died of a stab wound to the liver on December 6 last year.

His death followed a confrontation in Bethnal Green’s Padbury Court on December 5.

During the trial, the court heard how Phillips had followed Joel and friend Adam Meragan in a blue Mercedes to Padbury Court after one of Joel’s group threw an object at his car.

Phillips, who pleaded not guilty to murder, said he was not carrying a knife on the night and was unaware of any of the four passengers in his car carrying weapons.

He was acquitted today at 2.50pm by a jury after 13 hours and 10 minutes of deliberation.