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Father of murdered teenager Kiyan Prince fights to keep criminals from going to jail
Peter Dominiczak, City Hall Correspondent1 Sep 2010
The father of murdered teenage footballer Kiyan Prince has pledged to continue persuading judges not to jail certain criminals as he hailed his first success story.
Former professional boxer Mark Prince, 41, made an emotional appeal to a judge asking him to spare Chris Murray, 29, from jail and let him work for his charity instead.
Murray was facing a jail term after police discovered 80 cannabis plants capable of yielding skunk worth £30,000 a year at his Archway home.
Mr Prince now does charity work as a tribute to his son Kiyan, 15, who was stabbed to death outside his school in Edgware while trying to protect a friend in May 2006. He said that more criminals should be given the chance to turn their lives around in the community.
Murray pleaded guilty to drug possession at Blackfriars crown court and despite Judge Daniel Worsley saying he deserved a 21-month jail term, he was given a a 12-month suspended sentence and 100 hours' community service after Mr Prince's appeal.
Murray will now give talks to schoolchildren, help rebuild an adventure playground destroyed by arson and help raise £5,000 for a knife crime programme alongside the Kiyan Prince Foundation and the group Angels With Dirty Faces.
Mr Prince, who had never met Murray before being introduced to him by a social worker, said: “A lot of these guys are costing over £100,000 a year of taxpayers' money to keep inside. Many of them just mix with other criminals and make connections.
“People like Chris are much better off doing something for the community and working to turn their lives around instead of sitting in jail. Getting his sentence suspended felt wonderful.”
Murray, who wears an electronic tag, said: “I was looking at at least two years inside — it was terrifying. I have a six-month old boy called Darragh and he's the reason why I want to take this chance. I've been given a second chance in life. I owe Mr Prince everything. I won't let him down.”
