Mother cradles son as he lies dying from wound after gang fight
A MOTHER cradled her dying teenage son in her arms after he was stabbed in a children’s playground by a gang of youths.
College student Nick Pearton, 16, was beaten and knifed by a mob armed with knives, bats and sticks.
Covered in blood, he staggered to a nearby takeaway where his mother Kim found him.
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The blade of a knife used in the attack is believed to have been still embedded in his body. He died later in hospital.
His death brings the toll of teenagers murdered in London so far this year to 10. A woman who saw the attack said: “He was chased across the park by more than 10 of them. They were out of control.
“I saw him go down. A couple of minutes later a woman came. She was screaming ‘My son, my son’.”
Police have arrested a man and six teenage boys – one aged 14 – in connection with the murder in Sydenham, south London, on Wednesday.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Officers have arrested seven males in connection with the murder. These are a 14-year-old, a 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds, all from Sydenham, a 16-year-old from Bromley, a 21-year-old from Forest Hill and a 17-year-old from Deptford, all of whom remain in custody.”
Friends of the family insisted Nick was a “nice boy” who got caught up in a feud between two rival gangs.
He is believed to have cycled to the park after someone set up a revenge attack following a fight between two groups of youths.
Lynn Brackley, 47, said: “I heard Kim screaming. She was so unbelievably distraught at that point I can’t even imagine the state she would have been in when she went to the hospital and she was told her son was dead. He had six brothers and sisters and he was a very hard working boy, studying maintenance at college. He was very close to all his family and friends.”
Another family friend said: “He was a really nice lad, who would always stick up for his friends, and I think that’s what led to this happening. There was an argument between some kids a couple of days ago and sadly Nick got involved in that. He was not a wrong ’un at all. He was a really good boy, a nice boy and he didn’t deserve this.”
According to his Facebook page, Nick attended Sedgehill School in Lewisham until last year. Tributes online yesterday described Nick as a “loud and bubbly” boy who always made people laugh and would be “dearly missed”.
A former girlfriend, Kristina Chanel, said: “Two years we shared together – who’d have thought you would be taken away from us so soon. Love you forever, you were an amazing boyfriend even if I didn’t tell ya that. XX.”
