Brothers found guilty of Damilola killing

Two teenage brothers have been found guilty of killing ten-year-old Damilola Taylor in 2000.

Danny and Ricky Preddie, now aged 18 and 19, were convicted of manslaughter at the Old Bailey.

The brothers, who were 12 and 13 at the time of the killing, were cleared of murder and assault in April. They had denied the charges against them.

Sentencing was adjourned and both brothers have been remanded in custody.

Damilola was found bleeding to death from a cut in his leg, in a stairwell in the North Peckham Estate, where he lived, on November 27, 2000.

The Preddie brothers were originally arrested a few days after Damilola's death, but were released without charge. It emerged that vital leads had been missed by a forensic laboratory and investigators.

One of the brothers was being monitored by the probation service at the time, while the other was on bail and detained at a children's home.

Four youths, including two 16-year-old brothers, went on trial for Damilola's murder in 2002. All four were acquitted - two were acquitted on the direction of the judge after he ruled that the evidence of a prosecution witness - a 12-year-old girl - was unreliable, while the other two were found not guilty by the jury.

The Preddie brothers were re-arrested last year and tried alongside 20-year-old Hassan Jihad in January this year. Jihad was found not guilty of murder, manslaughter and assault with intent to rob, while the Preddie brothers were cleared of murder and assault with intent to rob. However, the jury failed to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge and a retrial began in June.

After the verdicts were read out, Ricky Preddie reportedly began shouting in the dock, accusing the jury of being corrupt. He was eventually removed from the court on the judge's orders.

Speaking after the verdict, Damilola's parents, Richard and Gloria Taylor said: "It is a great comfort that justice finally has been done for Damilola. We pray his gentle soul can now rest in peace."

Commenting on the ruling, Commander Dave Johnston, head of Homicide and Serious Crime at the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crimes Directorate, said: "Justice has finally been reached for Damilola. His violent death in 2000 sent shockwaves throughout London and beyond.

"This has been a long journey for all those involved in the quest for justice and undoubtedly lessons have been learnt. We are, of course, concerned that the new forensic evidence heard in this trial was not available for the first investigation and sympathise with the anguish that this may have caused to those affected."

(KMcA)