Saturday 9 May 2009

Loftus Road killing trial

craig_brownThe two men charged with the murder of Craig Brown on Christmas Eve in Loftus Road, who was shot next to his car on the way back from the shops, appeared at West London Magistrates Court yesterday. They were remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey for their formal trial later this year.

There are reports that two more men have also been arrested and charged in connection with the killing, but they apear to be youths so few details have been released.

When I first heard about this killing I had just returned from Liberia, West Africa, because of my job. I go to conflict and post-conflict zones like that in Africa a lot. These are places where the casualties number in the millions and you cannot find a building, however small, that does not have bullet holes in it. Life expectancy in Liberia is 44.

When you come back from somewhere like that and then walk down somewhere like Loftus Road, or frankly even the 'tough' areas of London, the sheer pointlessness of kids who by comparison want for absolutely nothing running around in stupid little gangs killing each other just leaves you all the more depressed.

1 comment:

  1. [...] 8, 2009 by chrisunderwood The four men accused with this brutal murder which took place on our streets at christmas time last year have started their trial at the Old [...]

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