Pradjeet Veadhasa and Sukhman Shergill - who can be named for the first time after reporting restrictions were lifted - were convicted of murdering Ronan in May.

The youth was stabbed close to his family home in Wolverhampton in June last year, after being mistaken for his friend by Veadhasa, who brought a ninja sword set and a large machete online.

Shergill was found to have acted in joint enterprise for the murder and has also been sentenced.

Veadhasa was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 18 years, while Shergill was sentenced to life for a minimum term of 16 years.

Ronan was on the short walk home from his friend's house where he went to buy a PlayStation controller when he was chased and struck with the weapons twice.

The teenagers had intended to harm Ronan's friend, who one of the 16-year-olds had owed money to, and fought with on a previous occasion.

Ronan died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Both teenagers, now aged 17, were found guilty of murder following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court. The jury's deliberations took just over two hours.

Speaking to Sky News outside the court, Ronan's father Chander said "knife crime is an epidemic in this country".

He said: "It's going to continue and the deterrents are not there. The sentences need to be tougher."

He added: "They've got a sentence, but we've got a life sentence. We're never going to recover from this. It's going to affect us for the rest of our lives. We have lost our innocent boy. And for what? For nothing. It's ridiculous."

Ronan's mother Pooja said: "There is no moving on from this. Not for a mother. I will always miss my child.

"My son did nothing wrong. He was just walking... he was just two doors away from his house. We miss him so much. I don't know how I can live past this grief."

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His sister Nikita told Sky News: "Unfortunately we will never get justice. The way they easily acquired these knives and murdered my brother - we will never get justice.

"We want to tell everybody what a beautiful boy Ronan Kanda was. It's not fair and unfortunately I can't see Ronan being the last boy to go like this."