A man and a boy have been jailed for life for murdering 23-year-old Joshua Boadu in a knife attack in Bermondsey.
Denilson Davis
Denilson Davis, 21 (10.07.98), of Hemel Hempstead, and a 16-year-old boy from the Southwark area were convicted at the Old Bailey on Monday, 23 September of killing Joshua – also known as SJ by his friends – who suffered multiple injuries and died from a stab wound to the chest in June 2018.
On Monday, 30 September, Davis was jailed for life with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 21 years. The boy was also sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minimum of 15 years.
Detective Inspector Ian Titterrell, Specialist Crime, said: “SJ was attacked in broad daylight on a Bermondsey estate, succumbing to his injuries several days later. We have never been able to establish a motive for this senseless killing.
“A thorough police investigation by my team, not to mention some great work from borough officers who proactively stopped two cars which yielded vital evidence, has led these convictions. While of course SJ’s family remain devastated, I hope today’s result brings them some comfort.”
SJ, from Bermondsey, was attacked at 6.15pm on 11 June 2018 in Linsey Street. He managed to escape and sought refuge at an address on Lucey Way where police and the London Ambulance Service were called.
He was taken to hospital in a critical condition with injuries to his chest, neck and arm. On the way, he suffered a cardiac arrest; his life-support was switched off ten days later.
In extracts from an impact statement read in court, SJ’s family said: “Words cannot begin to describe how life has been since Josh’s passing and he will be forever in our hearts. Words cannot describe the heartache and emotional anguish this senseless killing has caused and the impact on the family has been astronomical.
“Josh had his whole life ahead of him and he was full of so much untapped potential but his life was cut short due to a vicious and senseless murder. Things will never be the same for us and we have to live with this for the rest of our lives.
“Knowing Josh cannot celebrate another birthday or Christmas brings all the emotion back to us. Things that ‘could have been’ are amongst the hardest of things to forget and move forward when you lose a child, brother, uncle and friend like Josh.”
