Damilola killer sent back to jail

 
Parole breach: Ricky Preddie was jailed for killing Damilola Taylor
10 April 2012
WEST END FINAL

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One of Damilola Taylor's killers was back behind bars today - only 16 days after being released from jail.

Ricky Preddie, 24, was arrested at an address in London and recalled to prison last night after breaching the terms of his parole.

It is the second time he has been released and then recalled after breaking the conditions of his licence.

Ricky and his brother Danny were jailed for eight years in 2006 for manslaughter. Ricky was originally released in September 2010, but sent back to jail last March. He was freed a second time last month after serving five years of his sentence, despite showing no remorse for the crime.

Today Damilola's father Richard said he was dismayed at the killer's return to jail. "I am very upset if this is true. I am very angry with the Parole Board for the way they handled this and the way they have ignored my advice," he said.

After his first release in 2010, Ricky is thought to have been seen in Southwark, and associating with gang members - both against the terms of his release.

Damilola, 10, was walking home from school when he was attacked by a gang in November 2000. He bled to death in a stairwell after being stabbed in the thigh with a broken beer bottle.

Mr Taylor and his wife Gloria set up a charity in their son's memory, the Damilola Taylor Trust, the year after he died. Mrs Taylor died in 2008 aged 59.

In an interview with the Standard on the day of Ricky Preddie's release last month, Mr Taylor said : "If I had my way the two brothers would have been hung for what they did to Dami.

"But since we cannot bring back capital punishment, they should have been locked up for life.

"These are boys who premeditatedly attacked and killed a defenceless 10-year-old boy, and to serve just four or five years is ridiculous and not at all commensurate with the seriousness of their crime."

Gary Trowsdale, managing director of the Damilola Taylor Trust, said he was not surprised that Ricky Preddie had been recalled.

He said: "This was something that I suggested would happen. Neither of these boys have shown any remorse. Every time this happens the Damilola family are being dragged back through all the pain.

"The time has come for a public inquiry into the whole case and what has gone wrong."
A Metropolitan police spokesman said in a statement: "At the request of the Ministry of Justice, police attended an address in London yesterday evening and arrested a man in his twenties for a recall to prison."

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said it did not comment on individual cases. But it issued a statement saying: "The decision to release recalled offenders from custody is made by the independent Parole Board - the body solely responsible in law for determining whether or not prisoners should be released.

"Serious offenders released on licence are subject to a strict set of conditions and controls.

"Examples include a strict curfew and other restrictions on their movements, as well as frequent meetings with their offender manager.
"If they fail to comply with their licence conditions, they are liable to be returned to custody."

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