A former Bishop’s Stortford footballer who was jailed for the murder of a 14-year-old a decade ago is still a "high risk" to the public, a top judge said.

Amisi Kihama, now 26, was only 17 when he and five fellow members of the “London Fields Boys” set upon Shaquille Smith in a park in Hackney.

Kihama, who was a semi-professional footballer for the then-Conference South club, was jailed for at least 15 years.

He applied for a cut to allow an earlier chance of parole, but was told by Mr Justice Nicol that, although he had done well in jail, the term would stand.

"An assessment dated 8 March 2017 still assessed him as posing a high risk of harm to members of the public. That is discouraging," said the judge.

During the trial at the Old Bailey in 2009, jurors heard how Shaquille was attacked while sitting with friends near London Fields.

The gang members were out for trouble and picked on Shaquille's friend, but when the boy ran off, they turned on Shaquille.

He was fatally stabbed with a knife, while his sister was slashed across the face.

Gang members Amisi Khama, Leon Atwell, George Amponsah, Kadean Dias, Freddie Amponsah and Godiowe Dufeal

At the time of sentencing, Judge David Paget said the violence was "completely unprovoked and completely unnecessary".

A probation officer said that, although Kihama appeared "capable of reasoned thought", he was immature.

Even before sentencing, he had been in trouble twice for fighting in prison and continued to misbehave during the early years of his sentence.

However, over the last three years he has been out of trouble and was said to have "challenged an act of violence" by an influential fellow prisoner.

His legal team said the progress he has made justified a cut in his 15-year minimum term so that he could apply for release early.

But the judge refused to recommend a reduction, because the progress made is the minimum expected of a life prisoner.

"Mr Kihama is to be congratulated on the progress which he has made," he said.

"The sorry record of adjudications has come to an end. He has been recategorised as a C prisoner.

"However, the progress was from a low base. There remain issues to do with risk which have still to be explored and reduced.

"Overall, therefore, I cannot say that Mr Kihama's progress to date has been exceptional such as to justify a reduction in his minimum term."