Three “cowardly” teenagers who stabbed a man to death because he had confronted them about their rowdy behaviour were detained for life today.

Kevin Johnson was knifed in the chest outside his home in Sunderland in May by the gang of boys who had binged on drink and drugs. Even as Mr Johnson, 22, lay bleeding to death on the ground one of the youths hurled a paving slab at him.

They then continued their rampage stabbing another man a few streets away.

After passing life sentences on the teenagers, Judge David Hodson spoke of the cowardly culture that the defendants were embroiled in.

Dean Curtis, 18, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years. Tony Hawkes, 17, was detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure with a minimum term of 16 years. Jordan Towers, 16, received a minimum term of 13 years.

Newcastle Crown Court had heard that Mr Johnson was stabbed by the gang outside his Sunderland home after remonstrating with them about their behaviour in May this year. After being “goaded” by the trio, Mr Johnson went outside, where he offered to fight one on one, but not against all three.

The court heard that the three, all of whom were carrying knives, then set upon Mr Johnson, the father of a seven-month-old son.

The court was told that it was impossible to say which of the three delivered the fatal blow, but all were convicted by a jury on joint enterprise at a hearing last month. Curtis and Hawkes blamed each other, while Towers did not give evidence but the jury found they were all jointly guilty of the offences.

The court was told Curtis bragged to a friend that he had said to one of his victims: "Do you want to meet Mr Stanley?" - a reference to the red-handled craft knife that he carried.

After seeing his son’s murderers sentenced, Mr Johnson’s father, John, called for a life to mean a life. Mr Johnson’s fiancée, Adele, said that she felt pure hatred for the three teenagers.

Speaking outside court, with his wife Kathleen and more than a dozen family members at his side, Mr Johnson Sr said: “They got 17, 16 and 13 years, which is a long time, but I want life to mean life. Kevin is not coming back and they should not come back.

He added that he would not recommend anyone confronting rowdy teenagers or drunken youths in the street. “I would say to people, ’Do not be a hero’. It’s not safe to stand up for yourself any more'.”

Adele Johnson, who changed her surname by deed poll to in the wake of the murder, said: “I hate them with a vengeance. All I feel is pure hatred for what they did. I have no idea why people go out carrying knives. It is not being a big man, it is being a coward.”

Kevin Johnson was an avid Sunderland football fan, who worked for a local demolition company and was a keen pool player in his spare time. He and Ms Johnson were planning a second child and became engaged in December last year.

Ms Johnson added: “These three people have taken away my life, my future children and my wedding day. We never even had the chance to have a family holiday.

“Kev only got to see his son’s first seven months. He will never see his son’s first tooth, his first haircut or his first day of school. He’ll never be able to play football with him or take him to a match. Chaise will never have his own memories of his dad, just other people’s.

“I hope these three people realise what pain and suffering they have caused.”

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Ford, of Northumbria Police, said: “I think the sentence does send out a really, really powerful message to the people of the North East and the people of the whole country that carrying knives is unacceptable and totally cowardly. It’s clearly unacceptable to carry knives and these three people got their just deserts today.”

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