THE detective who brought killer Abdul Khan to justice has praised the friends and family of murdered Hassan Kul Hawadleh for their “immense bravery” during the trial.

Detective Inspector Martin Ludlow led the investigation into the murder of the 19-year-old teenager, who was stabbed to death on the forecourt of the Total Garage in High Road, Wealdstone.

Today, 19-year-old Khan was jailed for at least 22 years for the murder, and DI Ludlow said: “Kul was a promising university student with a bright future ahead of him.

“He has been described to me by the people closest to him as a loving, loyal, bright, and good natured young man who was highly regarded by his family and friends.

"Kul was fatally stabbed as he rushed to the aid of a close friend who was being assaulted. He was left to die on the petrol station forecourt.

"I, along with the investigation team, pay tribute to Kul Hawadleh and all of his friends and family who have shown immense bravery throughout this investigation.”

The murder, on February 19, was the culmination of a series of violent incidents in Wealdstone in the preceding days.

The Old Bailey heard how Khan, of Enderley Road, Wealdstone, was angered by the “humiliation” he had suffered in a previous fight, and set out to exact revenge.

He stabbed Hassan's friend Abdiwasab Guiled in the buttocks on the forecourt before launching the knife attack on Hassan, stabbing him through the heart.

The victim was described by Judge Paul Worsley as unarmed who “had everything to live for”, and he added that Khan had “shown no flicker of remorse for the killing”.

Hassan, who lived in West Hendon, had been studying for a degree in surveying at East London University when he was killed.