A business studies student was stabbed to death outside his hall of residence in Wembley after a row over a dirty look escalated.

Djodjo Nsaka, 19, was knifed in the heart after being confronted by three men as he returned to his halls in Rutherford Way, in the early hours of January 20.

The attackers, Ali Tas, 20, Donald Davis, 21, and Mukeh Kawa, 21, all from Colindale, were armed with knives, the Old Bailey heard on Tuesday.

The dispute had started two days earlier when the victim’s group noticed one of the attackers, Mukeh Kawa, glaring at them angrily in the Unite Halls building, the court heard.

Djodjo’s friend had tried to defuse the situation by asking Kawa’s girlfriend why he had given them a “screwface” and asking him to “be humble”, meaning chill out and forget about it.

But the next day the alleged killers, Kawa, Davis and Tas approached the victim and his friends when they returned to the halls hours later at 1am.

Tas allegedly punched one of the students in the face before Kawa pulled a hunting knife from his waistband and tried to stab him, jurors heard.

Djodjo shouted “Allow it”, meaning stop, before throwing a traffic cone at the attackers as he turned to run away, the court heard.

His friends managed to escape back into the halls of residence but Djodjo was stabbed in the chest and bled to death just before 2am.

All three attackers fled in Tas’ green Jaguar car and tried to change their appearance before their arrest, it is claimed.

Tas shaved off his beard while Davis and Kawa cut their hair, jurors heard.

Kawa, of Lancaster Close, Colindale, Tas, of Eagle Drive, Colindale, and Davis, of Martlesham Walk, Colindale, all deny murder.

The trial continues.