London model Harry Uzoka 'murdered in row over girl'

A male model was knifed to death by another model who was "not as successful" as him in a row over a girl, a court has heard.

Harry Uzoka, 25, died on the pavement outside his home in Shepherd's Bush, west London, after he was stabbed.

The killing was the result of an argument between the victim and George Koh over Mr Uzoka's girlfriend, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Koh, 24, of York Way in Camden, denies murder.

The Old Bailey was told Mr Uzoka called Mr Koh "a fake" on Instagram and arranged a fight after finding out Mr Koh claimed to have slept with Mr Uzoka's model girlfriend Ruby Campbell.

The jury was told a "confrontation" was arranged in Ollgar Road in Shepherd's Bush following a series of phone calls and messages on WhatsApp and Instagram.

Mr Koh was joined by Merse Dikanda and Jonathan Okigbo, both 24, and Mr Uzoka recruited his flatmate Adrian Harper, the court was told.

But while Mr Uzoka and his companion came armed with dumbbell bars, Mr Koh's group took at least three knives, including a machete, the court heard.

"It is not difficult to work out which side won. Uzoka and Harper were outnumbered and bars stand little chance against knives," prosecutor Richard Horwell QC told the hearing on Monday.

Mr Koh's team set out to "cause serious injury", he said.

Mr Uzoka and Mr Harper ran off when realised they were confronted with knives, but only Mr Harper got away, the court heard.

The prosecutor told the court Mr Koh, who "was also a model but not as successful as Uzoka", had "something of an obsession" with Mr Uzoka, but that "admiration for another model and his success had turned to contempt".

Jurors were told Mr Koh tried to delete his account and asked his mobile phone company to change his number.

Three days after the stabbing, Mr Koh handed himself in to police and told officers that he had acted in self defence after being "knocked to the ground" by Mr Uzoka and "had no intention" to stab him in the chest.

In a prepared statement, he told police: "I feared that he would kill me or cause me serious injury.

"I was on the floor when he fell on to me. I maintain that my actions were reasonable given the circumstances."

The jury was told Mr Koh has pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a knife.

Mr Okigbo, from Camden in north London, denies murder.

Mr Dikanda, of no fixed address, denies murder, possessing a machete on 11 January and possessing a knife on 25 January.

The trial continues.