Michael Ugwa, 29, was murdered at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock, Essex, after complimenting a woman in the food hall.
Mr Ugwa, who was from Rainham in east London, died of ‘catastrophic’ blood loss at the scene.
Today Muhammad Khan was found guilty of murder and a second man, Brandon Lutchmunsing, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
An argument broke out on the afternoon of April 28, 2022 after Mr Ugwa paid a compliment to Lutchmunsing’s girlfriend, Shannon Weston.
Khan brandished a knife before he and Lutchmunsing stalked Mr Ugwa through the shopping centre’s food hall.
Mr Ugwa held up a chair and threw it at Lutchmunsing to try and defend himself, but Khan then stabbed him with a ‘single and deadly’ blow before fleeing the scene, prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Basildon crown court.
Mr Khalil described the ‘brutal attack of two on one’ in which the men trapped Mr Ugwa in a ‘pincer movement’.
Weston, 21, of Canewdon, Essex was found guilty of three counts of assisting an offender as she drove Khan and Lutchmunsing away in her red Audi, and helped her then-boyfriend evade the police between April 28 and May 4.
Lutchmunsing, 20 and from Dagenham in east London said he was unaware that his friend had pulled out the knife until he stabbed Mr Ugwa.
Khan, 23 and of Ilford in east London claimed he was acting in self-defence. Both were also found guilty of affray.
Mr Khalil said: ‘The killing is particularly shocking because it happened just before 4.30 in the afternoon in the public food court.
‘It happened in front of a number of people going about their normal business. Witnesses were clearly frightened for their safety.
‘A mother with two youngsters in a pushchair can be seen dragging them away as fast as she can.
‘The two male defendants decided to take it as some form of challenge.
‘Muhammad Khan pulled out a knife.
‘Khan did this in a secretive manner but we say from the manner of Lutchmunsing’s behaviour that he knew.
‘Mr Ugwa ran for his safety.
‘He continued to be chased around the food court.
‘Mr Ugwa went through some tables. He grabbed a chair.
‘He threw the chair at Lutchmunsing.
‘He was the subject of a pincer movement as they went around different parts of the food court effectively trapping him between them.
‘Eventually Mr Khan cornered him and stabbed out.
‘He aimed the knife at his chest and struck him as he intended to.
Senior investigating officer Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Julie Gowen said: ‘Although this incident played out over the course of a few minutes, the fatal assault was over in a matter of seconds.
‘This case shows the tragic consequences that carrying a knife can have and how quickly an incident can escalate when weapons are involved.’
The defendants are due to be sentenced at Basildon crown court on a date to be fixed.
