Krzysztof Rusek was stabbed to death during a robbery in a Fulham park

A gang of teenage muggers have admitted killing a Neasden chef for �12 as he celebrated his 30th birthday with his girlfriend.

Krzysztof Rusek was knifed through the heart after the four hooded attackers demanded cash from him and his friends as they walked home through a park in Fulham on June 7 last year.

Ruairi Bicknell and Akeen Salako, both 18, along with two 17-year-olds. who cannot be named for legal reasons, fled the scene in different directions before allegedly changing their clothes following the attack.

Today (Monday) at the Old Bailey all four, who had denied murder, admitted Mr Rusek’s manslaughter.

Simon Denison QC, prosecuting, told jurors the gang had been prowling the park ‘looking for victims’ when they targeted Mr Rusek.

He said: “They were all hooded, they were all carrying knives, and they were all intent on using those knives to commit robberies together.

“The defendants took one victim each - knives out, pointing the knives at them - demanding money.

“One of Mr Rusek’s group handed over all the cash that he had - a little over �12 in coins.

“We don’t know what Krzysztof Rusek tried to resist or if he did nothing.

“He is no longer alive to tell us what happened, and the others didn’t see it.”

Bicknell and Salako initially admitted they were present at the scene but claimed they did not take part in the robbery or know their companions had knives.

The other two youths were due to argue that they were not at the scene.

Mr Rusek came to the UK from Poland eight years ago and worked at the Ibis Hotel in Fulham.

The four teenagers, all from west Kensington, will be sentenced on April 23.