A FAMILY friend of a boy stabbed to death has urged suspects to turn themselves in “before someone else” gets to them.

Josh Grant, 33, from Nottinghamshire lived near to Jaden Moodie, 14, before he moved to Leyton.

Jaden was killed last Tuesday after a car knocked the teenager off his moped and three males stabbed him seven times before driving away.

Mr Grant described himself as a kind of uncle to Jaden as their mothers were very close and his son is the same age.

He said: “Jaden was a good kid who wanted to make his family happy.

“He was a 14-year-old boy with a loving family around him and was taken away from us all much too young.

“Everyone who knew him knew what a great kid he was, no-one had a bad word to say about him.”

But Mr Grant has been shocked by the assumptions that Jaden’s murder was gang-related.

He said: “I want to stress that Jaden did not have any connection to gangs - these accusations are simply false.

“These accusations take away from the fact that he was brutally murdered.

“He is a young lad and his murder should be the focus.

“The people who stabbed Jaden better turning themselves in. It will be better for the police to find them, rather than someone else.

“It’s just such an incredibly sad time for the family right now and bringing about justice should be the focus.”

He added that he had been shocked and saddened by the negative comments concerning Jaden and the motorcycle.

He said: "I know he was on a motorbike but that doesn't mean he deserved to be killed. He was a normal lad, just experimenting as kids his age do."

Mr Grant travelled from Nottingham to visit the family and crime scene in Bickley Road at the weekend.

He said: "“My nephew was a good kid – I spent a lot of time with him.

“I took him out and spent a lot of time with him. He’s grown up with my son the two of them together.

"It was nice to be with family in London for the weekend to pay our respects to Jaden."

Mr Grant and other family in Nottingham are trying to arrange for a memorial service in Jaden's name to be held.

He is due to meet with Gedling MP Vernon Coaker on Saturday to discuss the topic.