The attack on a 29-year-old on the forecourt of a petrol station was described as a revenge killing by prosecutors.

Jerome Green, 23, of Ashgrove Road, Seven Kings admitted he was responsible for stabbing Thomas Cudjoe but denied it was retaliation for an earlier shooting. Green denies murder.

Mr Cudjoe was stabbed to death at the Shell petrol station, Ley Street, Ilford on November 3.

At the Old Bailey on Friday prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee said that the killing of Mr Cudjoe was in retaliation for the shooting of Reice Okosi in 2010 which left him paralysed.

Mr Jafferjee said; “You know the CCTV shows you attacking the driver with a knife. In your version of events, it’s his fault that he died. You are trying to get away with murder,” to which Green replied: “No sir”.

Mr Cudjoe was cleared twice of the shooting by a jury. Mr Jafferjee said: “You and your friends thought he had got away with it when he was acquitted by a jury – revenge was going to be yours.” Green replied: “No sir”.

Green denied getting a knife out of his underwear before stabbing Mr Cudjoe and said he was counting the number of cocaine packets he had left in his pants.

Also on trial are Reece Garwood, 21, of Overton Drive, Chadwell Heath; Courtney Mitchell, 23, of Clandon Road, Seven Kings; Asher Johnson, 25, and his brother Lewis Johnson, 22, both of Belamy Close, Isle of Dogs who all deny murder.