A teenager has been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the fatal stabbing of a university student near De Montfort University in Leicester. Harper Dennis, 19, was convicted by a jury at Leicester Crown Court of manslaughter, possessing an offensive weapon, and failing to provide the PIN to his phone after a two-week trial.

Dennis plunged a knife into the chest of Khaleed Oladipo, 20, five times on the evening of February 3. Mr. Oladipo, a third-year cyber security student, was walking home and on the phone with his girlfriend when the attack occurred on Oxford Street, near the university's Innovation Centre. His girlfriend, Shekeizah Fowler-Palmer, reported hearing him say, "Why did you come up to me and stab me?"

The incident was captured on a passing motorist's dashcam, which reportedly showed "a snowstorm of feathers" from one of the puffer jackets worn by the individuals involved.

Prosecutors stated that Dennis killed Mr. Oladipo over a "perceived debt." The two men had met through online gaming. According to Dennis's testimony, he had sent Mr. Oladipo £6,000 of his parents' savings to invest, but did not receive the money back. Mr. Oladipo then allegedly gave Dennis a Rolex watch, claiming it was genuine. Dennis testified that he later discovered the watch was fake when he attempted to sell it at Hatton Garden, which left him feeling "annoyed" and "disappointed."

Dennis told the court that he had threatened to expose Mr. Oladipo online as untrustworthy and a poor businessman. Dennis also stated he has a gambling addiction. He claimed he acted in self-defense during their confrontation, fearing for his life when Mr. Oladipo approached him with a knife. Dennis testified that he was unaware he had stabbed Mr. Oladipo during the altercation and was shocked when arrested.

Following the stabbing, Dennis left the scene and gave a bag of clothes to his flatmate to dispose of in her rubbish.

Detective Inspector Lorna Granville described the incident as "shocking circumstances" that have significantly impacted the student community. She noted, "This is not deep entrenched criminality. What it appears is two young men with their lives ahead of them have had a falling out and one has reacted, I would say, completely disproportionately and unnecessarily to exact some retribution."

Regarding Mr. Oladipo's family, Granville added, "They are grieving. They are slowly realising that potentially this was over a silly dispute and they have to live with the loss of that for eternity and they are struggling to come to terms with that."

Dennis, of North Road in West Drayton, London, is scheduled to be sentenced later on Tuesday.