The mother of an apprentice carpenter who was stabbed to death in a vicious attack today called for tougher laws to combat London’s knife crime crisis.
Sharon Kendall’s son Jason Isaacs, 18, was ambushed by four assailants on two mopeds as he walked to a friend’s house in Northolt.
Mr Isaacs fled with his friends but became separated from them and was stabbed repeatedly in the back, arms and legs. He collapsed in a garden nearby and died in hospital three days later.
Joel Amade, 18, of Ilford, was found guilty of murder by a jury last week after a month-long trial at the Old Bailey. There was sobbing and gasps in the public gallery as the verdict was announced.
Today, Ms Kendall said of her son’s killer: “I am glad he’s off the street and I hope he never sees fresh air again. I think stop and search should be mandatory, no matter what colour you are, if you are suspected of having a knife.
“Sentencing should be harsher too. I am going to keep campaigning on these issues, something needs to be done.”
She added: “We don’t want another family going through what we have gone through.”
Judge Mark Dennis QC remanded Amade in custody until May 13, and warned that the sentence will be a life term. At the time of the murder the teenager, who is suspected of gang affiliation, was on bail for a separate offence of threatening someone with a knife.
The court heard Mr Isaacs had been socialising with friends on the evening of November 18, 2017, when he was targeted by four attackers wearing balaclavas and riding two mopeds.
“There can be no doubt Jason Isaacs was subjected to a terrifying and vicious attack and his friends had to run for their lives from others chasing while wielding knives,” said Tony Badenoch QC, prosecuting. “Jason Isaacs was undoubtedly murdered. He was left stabbed and bleeding to death.”
In a statement after the murder, Mr Isaacs’s family paid tribute to him as a “kind and loving” young man. “We are devastated to have lost our beautiful son in such senseless circumstances,” they said. “We need to educate young people early on around the dangers of carrying knives in public places.”
Amade’s co-defendant Kaleel Nyeila, also 18 and from Greenford, was acquitted of murder after telling the court that he had an alibi and was not part of the attack.
