Campaigner dad of murdered Damilola Taylor dies aged 75, family confirms

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The dad of tragic Damilola Taylor has died at the age of 75, his family have confirmed. Richard Taylor OBE dedicated years to improving the lives of underprivileged kids after his 10-year-old son’s murder in November 2000.The former Nigerian civil servant, who set up the Damilola Taylor Trust to campaign against knife crime, passed away in the early hours of this morning, following a long battle with cancer.A statement issued on behalf of his family said: “It is with a heavy heart that the family announce the death of our beloved father, grandfather and uncle, Mr Richard Adeyemi Taylor OBE, who sadly passed away in the early hours of Saturday, March 23, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer.”Damilola was left bleeding to death in a stairwell in Peckham, south-east London, after he was attacked and slashed with a broken bottle on his way home from a library.

After three crown court trials, his two killers, brothers Ricky and Danny Preddie, were finally put behind bars.Richard said wanted his son to be remembered as a boy of hope and for his legacy to be a better life and opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters.

Richard and his late wife Gloria were spurred on to set up a charity in their son’s memory in the face of the tragedy of his death.Gloria died in 2008 after suffering a heart attack and Richard continued their work in the following years.

They were supported by famous faces including footballer Rio Ferdinand, who grew up in Peckham and backed the family in their charity work.Star Wars actor John Boyega was a childhood friend of Damilola and he and his sister Grace were among the last people to see the 10-year-old alive before he walked home on the day he was