Damilola Taylor: Father of murdered schoolboy Richard Taylor dies

Richard Taylor, father of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor, has died aged 75.

Mr Taylor has campaigned tirelessly against gang violence in the capital since his 10-year-old son was murdered in south London on November 27, 2000, as he walked home from the local library.

Damilola, who had moved to London from Nigeria a few months ago and dreamed of becoming a doctor, was found bleeding to death after being stabbed in the leg with a broken beer bottle in a stairwell near his home in Peckham.

A statement from Mr Taylor’s family said: “It is with heavy hearts that the family announce the death of our beloved father, grandfather and uncle, Mr Richard Adeyemi Taylor (OBE), who sadly passed away in the early hours of Saturday 23rd. In Marching at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich after a long battle with prostate cancer.”

Damilola’s parents, Mr Taylor and his wife Gloria Taylor (who died in 2008 aged 57) established the Damilola Taylor Trust in May 2001 as a memorial to their son. Aims to provide hope and opportunity to disadvantaged youth.

In 2020, then Prime Minister Boris JohnsonIt was agreed that 7 December (Damilola’s birthday) would be designated as the annual Hope Day to celebrate and encourage the work of the Trust and the Hope Collective.

Mr Taylor, a former civil servant in Nigeria who often spoke out about knife crime, was appointed special envoy against knife crime by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown and was awarded the award in 2009 for his contribution to reducing youth violence. Order of the British Empire.

In the 2006 “Respect your life, not the knife” campaign he collaborated with football players Rio FerdinandHe was playing for Damilola’s beloved Manchester United at the time.

He later revealed star wars actor john boyega Was one of the last people to see Damilola alive.

When the touching BBC drama Damilola, The Boy We Loved is released Won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award in 2017In his acceptance speech, Mr Taylor called for an end to stabbings on London’s streets.

Dedicating the award to his son, he said: “I want to appeal to young people who are committing suicide on the streets.

“Parents are crying… There has been an increase in killings in the City of London recently. I am asking you: stop the needless killing of innocent people and spread the message.”

In October 2006, after three criminal court trials, brothers Ricky Preddie and Danny Preddie were finally found guilty of Damilola’s manslaughter and sentenced to prison. Eight years in prison.

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