The tragic death of Damilola Taylor in a stairwell in a North Peckham Estate has become one of the most public police investigations ever held in the UK. Damilola had only come over from Nigeria a few months before his death. He was found bleeding in November 2000 with a deep wound to his leg, and a marble in his mouth. Despite attempts from passers-by to save the young boy, he bled to death due to a severed artery in his leg. The police immediately opened a murder investigation which eventually identified four youths which were brought to trial at the Old Bailey.
The youths named boy A, B, C and D for legal reasons went on trial for the murder of Damilola. Halfway into the trial, a key witness named as 'witness Bromley' was deemed unreliable, and the judge acquitted defendants C and D due to the lack of evidence against them. The case against boys A and B continued as the judge decided there was evidence in addition to that given by 'witness Bromley'. On April 25th 2002 the jury finally came to the verdict of 'not guilty' on the brothers known as boy A and boy B.
The death of Damilola has raised media awareness of the problems living in run-down council estates. Youth crime is particularly high in some Estates, and residents do not have close relations with the Police which hinders any investigation. The case has become such high profile that senior politicians became involved, and certain newspapers offered rewards for key witnesses.
The verdict has brought much criticism from certain corners, in particular the police investigation and the crown prosecution service. The case remains open.
