Ryan Jowle stabbing: Sheffield man jailed for killing rival dealer

Franck Mvila Kiongazi pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November

A man has been jailed for stabbing a rival teenage drug dealer to death at a block of flats.

Ryan Jowle, 19, died after he was knifed in the chest in Tannery Close, in Woodhouse, Sheffield, on 22 May.

Franck Mvila Kiongazi, 23, had been charged with Mr Jowle's murder but admitted the lesser charge of manslaughter last month.

Kiongazi, of Morland Road, Gleadless, was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court for 12 years and seven months.

Mr Jowle was stabbed to death just hours after he had been at a family meal celebrating his mother's birthday, the court head.

Later that day both men had been visiting friends in Tannery Close and had met in the car park by chance as they left at about 23:00 BST.

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Prosecutor Katherine Goddard said both men were involved in selling Class A drugs in the area and there was "bad feeling between them as a result of each of them trying to protect their drug dealing patch".

She said: "The coming together was violent. They fought. A knife was produced and both men were wounded."

The court heard Mr Jowle, who had initially pulled the knife, was stabbed five times and one blow punctured a chamber of his heart.

Ryan Jowle died from a stab wound to the chest

Mvila was also stabbed during the fight, suffering a puncture wound to his back which needed hospital treatment.

Jailing Mvila, Mrs Justice O'Farrell said: "It is tragic that a young life has been lost as a consequence of such mindless and unnecessary violence."

She said that during the course of the fight he had turned from "victim to aggressor".

"The ferocity of the attack went well beyond anything that could be considered self defence."

In a statement read to the court, Mr Jowle's mother Joanne said: "My birthday will never be the same again.

"I have a pain inside that hurts so much."