Ten-year-old Damilola Taylor bled to death after being attacked with a broken bottle on a Peckham housing estate in November 2000; following earlier acquittals and a series of trials, brothers Ricky and Danny Preddie were convicted of his manslaughter in 2006.
File:The wording on the grave of Damilola Taylor, Plumstead Cemetery - geograph.org.uk - 6479795.jpg — Credit: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0
Damilola Olufemi Taylor was a ten-year-old boy who had recently arrived in London from Lagos, Nigeria, where his family had moved in August 2000. On the afternoon of 27 November 2000, he left Peckham Library in south-east London to walk home toward the North Peckham Estate. On Blakes Road he was attacked and struck with a broken glass bottle, which cut his left thigh and severed an artery. He was found bleeding in a stairwell on the estate and taken to King's College Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He died from blood loss, ten days before his eleventh birthday.
The killing prompted a large investigation and became one of the most closely followed cases in Britain. In 2001, four youths were charged in connection with his death, on counts that included murder and assault with intent to rob. At the first trial at the Old Bailey in 2002, the prosecution relied heavily on the evidence of a fourteen-year-old witness whose account was found to be unreliable. The case collapsed: two defendants were acquitted on the judge's direction, and the remaining two were found not guilty by the jury.
Investigators kept the case open, and a later forensic re-examination proved decisive. Using improved DNA methods, a forensic team led by Angela Gallop identified Damilola's blood on the trainers of Danny Preddie and on the sweatshirt cuff of his brother Ricky, neither of whom had been among the original suspects. In 2005, the Preddie brothers, together with Hassan Jihad, were charged with manslaughter.
A trial began in early 2006. On 3 April 2006, Hassan Jihad was cleared of all charges, and the jury was unable to agree on verdicts for the Preddie brothers, prompting a retrial. The retrial opened on 23 June 2006, and on 9 August 2006 Ricky and Danny Preddie were convicted of manslaughter. They had been twelve and thirteen years old at the time of the attack. On 9 October 2006, Mr Justice Goldring sentenced each to eight years in youth custody, explaining that the sentence reflected the boys' ages at the time and the absence of evidence of premeditation.
The case drew lasting attention to youth violence in the area. Damilola's parents, Richard and Gloria Taylor, established the Damilola Taylor Trust in 2001 in his memory, and a community centre named for him later opened in Peckham.
Damilola Taylor and his family move to London from Lagos, Nigeria.
2000-11-27
Damilola Taylor, 10, is attacked on Blakes Road near the North Peckham Estate and dies of blood loss at King's College Hospital.
2001-05
Richard and Gloria Taylor establish the Damilola Taylor Trust in his memory.
2001-06
Four youths are charged in connection with the killing, on counts including murder and assault with intent to rob.
2002
At the first Old Bailey trial, all four defendants are acquitted after the key witness is deemed unreliable.
2005
Following a forensic re-examination that identified Damilola's blood on their clothing, the Preddie brothers and Hassan Jihad are charged with manslaughter.
2006-01-24
The second trial begins.
2006-04-03
Hassan Jihad is cleared of all charges; the jury cannot reach verdicts on the Preddie brothers, and a retrial is ordered.
2006-06-23
The retrial begins.
2006-08-09
Ricky and Danny Preddie are convicted of manslaughter.
2006-10-09
The Preddie brothers are each sentenced to eight years in youth custody.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Eleanor Neale / 45 min
THE TRAGIC MURDER OF DAMILOLA TAYLOR
People
Ricky Preddie
CONVICTED
Reported full name Ricky Gavin Preddie. Convicted of manslaughter on 9 August 2006 and sentenced to eight years in youth custody. He and his brother were aged 12 and 13 at the time of the killing.
Damilola Taylor
VICTIM
Ten-year-old boy who died on 27 November 2000 from blood loss after being attacked on Blakes Road near the North Peckham Estate, Peckham. Full name Damilola Olufemi Taylor.
Hassan Jihad
ACQUITTED
Adult co-defendant charged with manslaughter in 2005 and cleared of all charges on 3 April 2006.
Metropolitan Police Service
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Investigated the killing and conducted the later forensic review that led to the 2006 manslaughter convictions.
Danny Preddie
CONVICTED
Reported full name Danny Charles Preddie. Convicted of manslaughter on 9 August 2006 and sentenced to eight years in youth custody. He and his brother were aged 12 and 13 at the time of the killing.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
archival location
File:The wording on the grave of Damilola Taylor, Plumstead Cemetery - geograph.org.uk - 6479795.jpg
Ten-year-old Damilola Taylor bled to death after being attacked with a broken bottle on a Peckham housing estate in November 2000; following earlier acquittals and a series of trials, brothers Ricky and Danny Preddie were convicted of his manslaughter in 2006.
Where did the killing happen?
North Peckham Estate, Peckham.
Who was convicted?
Ricky Preddie (Reported full name Ricky Gavin Preddie. Convicted of manslaughter on 9 August 2006 and sentenced to eight years in youth custody. He and his brother were aged 12 and 13 at the time of the killing.) and Danny Preddie (Reported full name Danny Charles Preddie. Convicted of manslaughter on 9 August 2006 and sentenced to eight years in youth custody. He and his brother were aged 12 and 13 at the time of the killing.).
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