Two thugs who murdered a man in Cricklewood following a row over two bottles of rum have been jailed for life.

Brent & Kilburn Times: James Rochester, of Bow, was found guilty of murdering Lennox Alcendor. Picture: Met PoliceJames Rochester, of Bow, was found guilty of murdering Lennox Alcendor. Picture: Met Police (Image: Archant)

Lennox Alcendor died after he was stabbed in the neck and beaten in Anson Road at around 6.45am on February 21.

James Rochester, 43, of Bromley High Street, and Christian Fearon, 30, of no fixed address, were previously found guilty of his murder.

Rochester was jailed for a minimum term of 28 years for the murder, while Fearon was jailed for at least 24 years.

The Old Bailey heard how Lennox had travelled with a friend to Cricklewood to buy two bottles of rum from the defendants.

Brent & Kilburn Times: Christian Fearon. Picture: Met PoliceChristian Fearon. Picture: Met Police (Image: Archant)

They went into the flat of a mutual friend, but an argument broke out when Lennox refused to pay, claiming Rochester was in his debt because his ex-girlfriend owed him money.

The defendants followed Lennox out and Rochester pulled an 11-inch plasterboard saw from his waistband, which he used to stab Lennox in the throat.

He and Fearon then proceeded to punch and kick Lennox as he lay dying while the friend tried to fend them off, Scotland Yard said.

They then stole his watch, reclaimed only one bottle of rum as the second had been smashed during the incident, and walked away.

Lennox’s daughter said she “developed anxiety and PTSD, which I suffer with every single day” following the murder.

“Not one day has passed where I don’t think of my dad. Remembering his smile, his silly jokes, the way he would burst into song or dance, his obsession with corned beef, even his obsession with taking pictures with me every time he saw me,” she said in a statement.

“Everyone would always roll their eyes when he would hold his phone out because we all knew what was coming - ‘take a picture of us please,’ he’d say with his cheesy grin. Those pictures are all we have left now.”

Det Insp Tom Williams said: “Lennox was killed in a residential street as many people were waking up and starting their day. We may never know exactly what happened but it seems it boiled down to a row over the sale of two bottles of rum.

“These are two dangerous and violent individuals. I’m pleased the jury were able to see through their deceit and both have been jailed for a significant amount of time.”