PARENTS should take responsibility for their children's welfare, a senior police officer has claimed.
Det Supt Matthew Horne made his remarks after three teenagers were given life sentences for the murder of 14-year-old Leytonstone youngster
Paul Erhahon.
Speaking after the sentencing at the Old Bailey,
Det Supt Int Horne said: "Some of the boys were only 13 when they committed these crimes - children only just teenagers.
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"To their parents I would ask this: 'What were your kids doing? Where did you think they were at the time Paul was so brutally killed?'
"All of us who are parents have to take some responsibility to ensure our children are brought up as honest and decent human beings."
Kevin Adu Marcet, 15, of Cathall Road, Leytonstone, Paul Benfield, 17, of Corn Way, Leytonstone, and Jordan Conn, 16, of Greenford, west London, were all found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey last month.
Adu-Marcet and Benfield, who were also found guilty of the attempted murder of Paul's 15-year-old friend, were both ordered to serve 13 years. Conn was given an 11-year sentence.
In addition, two youths were found guilty of
manslaughter - Theo Diah, 20, of Anglican Road,
Leytonstone, and Nathan Desnoes,16, of Borthwich Road,Leytonstone.
Diah was given an indeterminate sentence with a
minimum sentence of seven years and Desnoes an
indeterminate sentence with a minimum sentence of four
years.
A sixth youth, Scott Taylor, 18, of Melon Road,
Leytonstone, received a six-and-a -half year sentence for the attempted murder of Paul's 15-year-old friend.
Paul and a friend were attacked by a gang in the foyer of Gean Court in Langthorne Road, Leytonstone, on Good Friday last year.
Paul was stabbed through the heart with a seven-inch sword and tried to stagger to his Buttermere Close home.
He was found bleeding to death by his parents near his home.
His friend was subjected to five knife wounds but
recovered in hospital.
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