Parents’ grief at death of son as 20-year-old is convicted of his Kidbrooke murder

The father of a teenage murder victim has spoken of his desolation after the conviction of the man who stabbed him.

Paul Akinnuoye, 20, of Cobbetts Ride, Tunbridge Wells, was convicted at the Old Bailey on Thursday, February 22 of murder following the killing of 19-year-old Jordan Wright on 19 April 2017 on Hervey Road in Blackheath.

And Jordan’s father spoke in a court statement of his grief at the loss of a life full of potential.

Neville Wright talked of how the son’s unfulfilled potential haunted him on a dailly basis. “Jordan was my son, his death has changed my life forever. He was very loving, funny and a very caring person, as well as a very popular person. I think of him every day..of what he would have achieved in life – he is gone, but not forgotten.”

Also in a victim impact statement submitted to the court, Jordan’s mother, Katharine Alade, revealed that the trauma caused by her son’s death had left her feeling so distressed that she had contemplated suicide. She said: “You don’t realise until it happens to you how far-reaching one moment of madness can be and what an impact it can make on your life forever.

“There is not one day when I don’t shed tears. I didn’t think it was possible to feel such physical, psychological or mental pain until that fateful day last April.

“I know I will never be the same. It is now nearly a year later and I still feel as depressed as I did the day I went to Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital in Woolwich to be told that my son did not make it.”

She said that it was only when it came to his funeral she saw how much Jordan had been loved – there were over 600 mourners. There were also 300 people at his memorial, nine days after his untimely death.
“I could have dealt with him dying at such a young age through illness, but not by the hands of a boy the same age as him and over what?” she asked.
Ms Alade also recalled how Jordan had been a “gift” born to her relatively late in life when she had not planned more children – and despite enduring challenges from having autism, he had wanted for nothing and was happy and loving.

The condition did contribute however, she believed, towards his “innocent” outlook to life, meaning that he did not fully take on board the dangers on the streets such as knife crime, gangs and violence.

The college graduate, who was due to start an apprenticeship in the construction industry when he was attacked, died after being stabbed in the chest.

Police were originally called at approximately 8.10pm on April 19 last year to reports of a stabbing on Hervey Road, at the junction of Begbie Road, Kidbrooke.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended and found Jordan badly wounded. He later died in hospital.

In the hours leading up to the assault, Jordan and Akinnuoye had both been part of a group chat on ‘WhatsApp’ which developed into an argument between the two, escalating to the point that they made arrangements to meet for a pre-arranged fight to settle their differences.

CCTV footage before the incident captured the two meeting up and showed Akkinuoye being physically held back from Jordan following an exchange of words.

The group entered the park where a fight ensued, during which Jordan was fatally stabbed in the chest. Helped out of the park, the teenager collapsed at its entrance after saying, “I feel unwell”.

Local residents came to his assistance, administering first aid until the arrival of the LAS who took him to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he died at 9.24pm.

A special post-mortem held at Greenwich Mortuary the following day gave cause of death as an incised wound to the chest. Other stabbing injuries were also found on his body.

Inquiries established that it was Akinuoye who had been involved in the disagreement with Jordan; and he was arrested on April 26. Offering a “no comment” interview, he was released under police investigation.

The murder weapon was recovered from shrubbery within the park. Inquiries identified that the same knife had gone missing from the home address of Akinnuoye; and on September 1 he was re-arrested and charged with Jordan’s murder.

Detective Inspector Jo Sideaway,of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “This murder left Jordan’s family devastated and was a big shock to the local community; seemingly over a minor dispute between two young men. While nothing will ever make up for this needless loss of life, I hope that today’s guilty verdict will bring some closure for his loved ones.”

Sentencing will take place at a date yet to be fixed within the next month.

Three other men who were arrested on suspicion of murder on May 4 2017 and released under investigation, were all subsequently released with no further action.