Two teenagers who became embroiled in a vicious knife fight with a drug dealer in Chessington had walked out of a courtroom with a community sentence hours earlier.

Horrified students at Chessington Community College witnessed the aftermath of the triple stabbing on May 30.

The two 16-year-old boys ran away through back alleyways dripping blood before collapsing in a bus stop in Leatherhead Road sparking a manhunt.

The two teenagers, who cannot be named but are from Surbiton and Putney, tried to rob the drug dealer of cannabis at Sir Francis Barker recreation ground but their plan backfired when he pulled a knife.

Both received 18-month youth rehabilitation orders when they appeared at Wimbledon Youth Court for their sentencing on August 7 after pleading guilty to affray.

A tattooist from Nu Clear Tattoos in Leatherhead Road, who helped the boys but did not want to be named, said: “It does not really matter to me what these kids were up to. They were injured. They needed help. There was a kid dying outside who had to be helped. I would do the same thing again.”

Defence counsel John Bentley said: “They did try to rip this person off. They did not go with the intention to cause violence but they would have stolen.”

One of the teenagers said: “I thought I would get away with it. I did not think of the consequences. Before I had no motivation but I have been thinking a lot. This is not the life I want. I can do much better.”

The other boy, who is in foster care, said: “I am very sorry it was a stupid mistake. I want to get on with my life and hope not to end up back in court.”

Lead magistrate Geoff Baylis said: “Just after you had been given youth rehabilitation orders you contacted a drug dealer with the intention of not paying him and must have known that doing so would result in some violence. “A fight took place. A knife was used. Both of you were injured – one of you seriously. If you are true to your word then hopefully you will never be before this court ever again.”