Damilola Taylor’s father makes Bafta plea to end London street killings

Richard Taylor makes emotional speech hours after an 18-year-old man died in Enfield, north London, after suffering stab wounds

Winners of the Single Drama award for Damilola, Our Loved Boy and presenter Jessica Raine (Getty Images)

The father of schoolboy Damilola Taylor begged young people to stop the string of killings on the streets of London as he collected a Bafta for a drama about the death of his 10-year-old son.

Damilola, Our Loved Boy was awarded the prize for best single drama at the British Academy Television Awards where Richard Taylor made an emotional speech hours after an 18-year-old man died in Enfield, north London, after suffering stab wounds.

Scotland Yard said he was the 10th teenager to have been killed in the capital in 2017.

Mr Taylor was joined by Damilola's brother Tunde and the production team as he said: “I want to dedicate this to the memory of Damilola Taylor and Gloria, my late wife, and first and foremost send a strong appeal to young people on the street killing themselves.

”Parents are crying, others are crying, the surge of killing has gone up in the city of London, I beg you all to stop this unnecessary killing of innocent people.

“Young people, spread the message.”

His impassioned plea came shortly after the teenager was killed and two others injured in the latest in a surge of knife attacks in the capital.

The 18-year-old was found suffering with stab wounds after police were called to reports of a mass brawl in Hertford Road, Enfield, north London at around 10.30pm on Saturday.

A 19-year-old man and 17-year-old boy were also found with knife injuries in nearby Palmers Lane.

All three victims were taken to hospital and the 18-year-old was pronounced dead at 11.41pm.

He is yet to be formally identified and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

Press Association