Tonight:
14°c
Boris Johnson gives his strong personal backing to Standard's campaign for a huge increase in cycle parking at London's railway stations
More...
Paddick can halt killing, says Lawrence friend
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard09.04.08
The best friend of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has given his support to Brian Paddick's mayoral campaign.
Duwayne Brooks, who watched his friend get stabbed and beaten to death, has taken a week off work to help on the campaign trail.
He says the Liberal Democrat candidate is the only person who can rid London's streets of escalating gun and knife crime among young people.
Now a 33-year-old engineer, Mr Brooks appears alongside Mr Paddick in his election broadcast which is due to be shown tonight and focuses on youth gun and knife crime.
In the broadcast, Mr Brooks says to Mr Paddick: "Since that day knife crime has continued to plague the city of London. We've had eight years of Ken Livingstone. Our youngsters are still dying on our streets.
"We need somebody that can make a difference. I believe you can make a difference and would be able to tackle the gun crime and knife crime that's on our streets today."
Mr Brooks was 18 when he and Stephen Lawrence, also 18, made their way home on the night of 22 April 1993 in Eltham.
As they waited for a bus, Mr Brooks spotted a group of five or six young white boys who ran across the road towards the pair.
Mr Brooks fled from them, yelling at his friend to do the same. But the group surrounded Stephen, punching and kicking him and pulling him to the ground.
As the youths ran off Stephen staggered 100 yards before collapsing in a pool of blood. Mr Brooks has campaigned on gun and knife crime with groups such as Mothers Against Guns since his friend's death .
He met Mr Paddick when he was a police officer in Brixton five years ago and says he was immediately impressed with his attitude towards the problem.
He said: "I've never stopped campaigning, but I've just seen it get worse. The police don't interact with the kids any more. And I don't know where these postcode wars have come from.
"I think Brian is the only candidate who can have some influence and I'm going to tell everyone I meet."
Mr Paddick has also vowed to stand for only one term should he fail to meet his crime reduction target. He said: "If we're to make this city what it really could be that's going to take commitment.
"And as your Mayor, my commitment to you is if I don't reduce crime by 20 per cent in the first four years I won't run again. Pure and simple."
Gary Dobson, Neil Acourt and Luke Knight were acquitted of Stephen Lawrence's murder in 1996, when a private prosecution by the Lawrence family collapsed after evidence from Mr Brooks was deemed inadmissible. The case against two other suspects, David Norris and Jamie Acourt, was dropped before it reached court. Brian Paddick's election broadcast is at 6.25pm on ITV1 and 6.55pm on BBC1.
Reader views (11)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Kizza, yes actually I would have expected him to stay with his mate; I wouldn't have left him if I'd been there. And my point is what on earth has he done to be commenting on political matters. His endorsement does nothing for Paddick whatsoever.
- Squiz, Islington
He didn't manage it when he was in charge of the police, so how's he going to do it now?
- Paul, London
Westley Odger's Mum says..."The death of any child to violence is utterly unacceptable! Any parent that has had the misfortune to suffer this overwhelming devastation will know that the pain is insurmountable. Many of those parents become terminally ill from their loss...my heart goes out today to Damilola Taylor's father Richard, who how now lost his beloved wife and mother Gloria, who sadly passed away, 9th April. The most powerful voices are from the Victims' families...lets get into the schools, and the hearts of our children and challenge them away from crime and carrying weapons. Whilst we were talking about this very serious issue at the co-ordinated event hosted by Urban Concepts and Genesis Community, yet another death happened to a stabbing...
- Ann Oakes-Odger, Colchester, UK
From my experience It is not Mr Paddick who has the sole right to say he can rid the streets of knife and gun crime. About every police officer I know claims to know how to do this. However they are just not allowed to use the tools they once had at there disposal.
Every time a borough Commander seems to think that they should take notice of some leading so called community groups so 'No' to something as it will annoy our kids because of something that happened 100 years ago or it is not seem as politicaly correct then we will never solve the problem. If a few kids get annoyed with the Police so what-all kids get annoyed at anything to do with the establishment it's called the growing up process. I used to get annoyed but it never did me harm nor did I ever get into trouble with the Police- annoyed on or two though.
- Richard Moore, London
Frankly the only way in which Paddick could help solve gun crime would be if he went back to being a police officer.
- Damian Hockney Am, London
I am quite used to Politicians promising heaven and earth in order to win the public vote. The issue of Gun and knife crime is a serious problem with at least 27 young people having lost their lives last year and 11 already this year. We cannot allow such a sensitive issue as this to be toyed with in order for politicians to canvass for votes. Whether or not Paddick is the right person to deal with this problem, only time will tell!
- Simon Owoade, West London, UK.
Mr Brooks witnessed a senseless and terrible crime, but I don't agree with Kizza that it was "one of the worst racist attacks" because whites tend to be victims of the worst attacks but these are always under-reported - see Kriss Donald etc. Red Ken and others have used the tragic death of Stephen Lawrence for their own self-serving reasons for too long.
- James S, Enfield, London
Squiz, your very narrow minded opinion is not going to help anyone tackle the problem of gun crime.
Did you expect Mr. Duwayne Brooks to stay with his friend as the mob attacked?
This is a man that witnessed one of the worst racist attacks on his friend, he is trying to make a difference so you and I can have safe streets in this city that we all love.
- Kizza, London
So, as an "engineer" how exactly is this man qualified to make a judgement about the politics of knife crime? Does he work with a community project and deal with kids carrying knives? Perhaps he acts as a lone vigilante stopping attacks? Or could it simply be that the lib dems have trotted out some bloke who was once involved in a very serious crime in some sort of vain attempt to give themselves some credibility?
- Laz Eraychun, London
He is totally right what London needs is someone who has actually had a real job.
- Louise Foster, London, UK
I don't think that the opinion of a man whose only claim to fame is that he ran away and left his mate to be murdered is of any moment in a debate on killing. Or anything else.
- Squiz, Islington
