One of the brothers who killed ten-year-old Nigerian-born Damilola Taylor in November 2000 arrogantly held up a sign as he left a court hearing calling for ‘real justice’ for his victim on Monday.
According to mail online, Ricky Preddie, 26, posed outside court with a piece of paper which read: ‘Real Justice for Damiola Taylor’ – misspelling the schoolboy’s name.
The stunt followed an appearance before West London magistrates where he denied a string of driving offences.
Today, Damilola’s father Richard, 65, said the placard was ‘distressing’ and called for Preddie to identify his son’s real killer – if he really is innocent.
Damilola bled to death on a stairwell on a Peckham estate in South London in November 2000 after being stabbed in the leg with a broken beer bottle on his way home from the library.
Preddie and his brother Danny, who were 13 and 12 at the time, were convicted of manslaughter in 2006 and jailed for eight years.
Widower Mr. Taylor said: ‘It is very upsetting and disturbing for me. If he has evidence about my son’s death then he should say something. Maybe he is using it as a ploy to distract from his court appearance.’
Ricky was first released from prison on parole in 2010 – but he was sent back to jail three times after breaking the terms of his release. His brother Danny was released from prison in 2011.
He faces returning to jail for the fourth time since he was released in 2010 halfway through an eight-year sentence for Damilola’s killing.
The schoolboy was caught on CCTV (pictured right) just minutes before he was attacked walking home.
His family had moved to London from Nigeria in search of a better life just months before the fatal attack.
Eight years later, Damilola’s mother Gloria Taylor, 57, died from a heart attack after suffering from high blood pressure following her son’s death.
The mother, who dedicated her life after her son’s death to helping underprivileged children, collapsed while walking near her home in Blackheath, South East London.
Today, almost 13 years after the killing, Ricky Preddie appeared before Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court charged with a string of driving offences plus a separate matter of trespassing on railway property.
He denied all nine charges.
He was arrested in August – just three months after being released from jail for the last time after serving out his sentence for killing Damilola.
Wearing a plaster on the left side of his head after having his ear hacked off in a prison fight, Preddie spoke in court only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.
He is due to stand trial on December 6 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He was granted bail at Hendon Magistrates Court in August and is currently living just a few miles from the spot in Peckham, south east London, where he killed Damilola.
Preddie was first released in September 2010, but recalled to custody in March 2011 after returning to Peckham from his west London bail hostel in breach of his licence conditions.
Then in October 2011 he beat up another prisoner, but a Parole Board hearing on December 23 decided he should be released on January 25, 2012.
He lasted just 16 days before being taken back to prison for again violating his parole by going to areas he was banned from and visiting friends from his old gang.
He was let out in July 2012, which means he has lasted just five months on early release before being hauled before the authorities again for handling stolen goods.
He was released after serving out every day of his eight-year sentence earlier this year.
Although the eight-year jail term was handed down in 2006, he had already served time behind bars on remand.
He was granted unconditional bail today to return for a one day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
District Judge James Henderson told him: ‘You have unconditional bail until then, which requires you to be there at 9.30am on 6th December.
‘If you do not attend the trial it will go ahead in your absence. Next time bring your driving license and documents with you.’
He faces three counts of driving while disqualified, three counts of driving without insurance, two counts of inconsiderate driving and one count of trespassing at West Brompton rail station in west London.
I dont know why this guy is opening a half healed wound. he definitely killed the boy and now he’s holding up a placard that brings back memories.
this guy should be put away for the good of humans. he’s bad news on a good day.
Unfortunate and sad. This is a wicked world we live in