A MURDERER has been jailed for life after fatally stabbing a Hayes man in an ongoing dispute.

Gurav Sharma, 34, of no fixed abode, was found guilty earlier this month at the Old Bailey of the murder of Mohammad Afzal last August.

Mr Afzal, 38, of Delamere Road, Hayes, was attacked in Southall Broadway at the junction of Trinity Road.

He was taken to St Mary's Hospital but pronounced dead hours later. He had been stabbed in the chest.

Sharma and Jaswinder Singh, 30, also of no fixed abode, were arrested on suspicion of murder.

CCTV from the murder scene showed the pair approaching Mr Afzal. In the footage, Sharma was seen to have a knife in his right hand and Singh was captured walking into a nearby shop as a row ensued.

Witnesses then saw Sharma arguing with Mr Afzal before stabbing him.

It transpired that Mr Afzal disapproved of a relationship Sharma had with a woman they both knew.

Sharma also confessed to the woman that he had stabbed Mr Afzal. Singh admitted to her that he was at the scene.

Both men were arrested together in a house in Saxon Road, Southall.

Sharma tried to hide underneath Singh's bed. Singh made no attempt to alert police to where Sharma was before he was discovered by officers.

Singh pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing and was remanded to be sentenced after Sharma's trial.

Sharma was given a life sentence and with a minimum of 26 years. Singh was jailed for three and half years.

Det Insp Luke Marks said: "Mohamed Afzal was a hard working man who also had caring responsibility for his elderly father.

"His murder is an absolute tragedy and has brought untold grief to his family and friends. I hope this sentence brings Mr Afzal's family justice for his senseless killing.”