The accused identified as Corey Donaldson and Alex Scott. Pic: MET Police

Two Deptford teenagers have been sentenced to 18 years in prison for the murder of music producer Dean Pascal-Modeste.

Pascal-Modeste died in Mottingham in February when he was stabbed 14 times in a “brutal” attack in broad daylight. Police believe he was mistakenly associated with a rival gang by his attackers.

The 21-year-old had travelled to Grove Park to record a music video with his friends. They were standing in Lambscroft Avenue when a group of men arrived on mopeds and brandished what witnesses described as a handgun.

Music producer Dean Pascal-Modeste. Pic: MET Police

Before the attack, the gangs had insulted each other in Youtube rap videos, some of which featured DJ Tim Westwood.

Corey Donaldson and Alex Scott, both 18, were associated with the B-Side gang who attacked Pascal-Modeste on February 24. They were found guilty of murder and possessing an offensive weapon.

Three knives believed to be used in the attack were found in a nearby garden, by police officers. One knife had Pascal-Modeste’s blood on it and another was forensically linked to Alex Scott.

At the Old Bailey, Judge Philip Katz QC sentenced them to a minimum term of at least 18 years each. He told the defendants: “[Pascal-Modeste] hoped for a career in music and had all the talent and passion to make his goals possible. Unlike you two, he was not a drug dealer, did not carry knives and had not been in trouble with police.”

Lezley Modeste, the victim’s mother, described the “void in my whole being” caused by the death of her “loving, charming and charismatic baby boy”. She also criticised the “smirking” defendants, who smiled and waved as they were convicted.

Detective Inspector Richard Leonard of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “I honestly believe that Dean was not the intended target of Scott and Donaldson. He did not live in the Mottingham area and from what we know had no associations with the locality. This was a brutal attack carried out in broad daylight in front of shocked residents – Dean simply didn’t stand a chance.”

The case came after Scotland Yard’s gang specialist,  Commander, Jim Stokley, called for Youtube to do more to shut down videos promoting violence and gun crime.