Family and friends to attend Reading terror memorial service

The service will also be livestreamed on Reading Council’s Facebook page

Joe Ritchie-Bennett, James Furlong and David Wails, the three victims of the Reading terror attack (PA)

A memorial service will be held on Sunday to commemorate one year since three men were killed in a terror attack in Reading.

Family, friends and community leaders will join the service in remembrance of James Furlong, a history teacher, 36, Dr David Wails, a scientist, 49, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, who worked for a pharmaceutical company, 39.

The three friends had been enjoying an evening together in Forbury Gardens as lockdown restrictions began to ease when they were attacked on 20 June 2020.

The attacker was 26-year-old failed asylum seeker Khairi Saadallah, from Libya, who attacked and killed the three men as well as injuring three others with an eight-inch knife.

Stephen Young, 51, Patrick Edwards, 29, and Nishit Nisudan, 34 were all injured by Saadallah before he threw away the knife and ran away, pursued by an off-duty police officer, who happened to be at the scene.

In January 2021, Saadallah was given a whole-life sentence for his actions having pleaded guilty to three murders and three attempted murders.

The victims’ loved ones, as well as members of the emergency services who responded on the day and representatives from Reading’s community have been invited to attend Sunday’s memorial service.

Proceedings will be led by Cllr David Stevens, Mayor of Reading and will be livestreamed on Reading Council’s Facebook page, so that members of the public can follow. Floral tributes will also be placed at the Forbury Bandstand in remembrance of the victims.