Steven Bigby, 22, from Hackney, east London, was stabbed to death outside a McDonald's restaurant in the bustling shopping mecca on Monday afternoon in a row which erupted after a drink was thrown.

Anthony Costa, of Walthamstow, east London, was charged with his murder on Wednesday night and will appear at Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court.

A post-mortem examination at Westminster Mortuary revealed that Mr Bigby died of a single stab wound to the heart.

A 19-year old man arrested in connection with the attack was released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Police confirmed that Mr Bigby was on bail awaiting trial over the rape of a 16-year-old girl in Tottenham, north London, in January.

He was one of a group of 10 men charged over the attack, in which it was alleged the girl had caustic soda poured over her to destroy DNA evidence.

Mr Bigby was also due to stand trial in June over a fight at a snooker club in Tottenham in October 2006 after which a knife was found.

The murder was the latest in a spate of stabbings in the capital which have prompted police to step up the fight against knife crime.