Memorial to murdered teenager Alan Cartwright destroyed in suspected arson attack

Cherrie Cartwright at the scene of the memorial in Caledonian Road
Matt Writtle
Hannah Al-Othman11 November 2015
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A memorial to murdered teenager Alan Cartwright has been torched in a suspected arson attack.

Vandals struck at around 5.30am on Wednesday morning, setting fire to the shrine at Cally Pool, in Caledonian Road, Islington - the spot where the 15-year-old collapsed and died.

Schoolboy Alan was stabbed to death in a seven-second street attack in February by 18-year-old Joshua Williams, who had attempted to steal the youngster's bike.

In September Williams, who was on police bail for carrying a knife at the time of the attack, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing.

He was told by Judge Rebecca Poulet QC that he had carried out a “a wholly gratuitous and senseless piece of violence motivated by inquisitive greed,” and was ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years in jail.

Tragic death: Alan Cartwright, 15, was stabbed to death while cycling Pictures: Nigel Howard

The memorial, which contained two bikes, candles, flowers, letters, and pictures of the tragic teenager, was discovered alight by a passing fire crew from Islington station, who extinguished the blaze.

Alan's sister, 22-year-old Cherrie Smith, told the Islington Gazette she was "sickened" by the act of vandalism.

She said: “I got a phone call this morning. It was my mum, crying her eyes out.

“I went down, saw the police officers and cordons, and it gave me flashbacks of when I was there on the night Alan was killed.

“We haven’t done anything wrong by having the memorial there. Alan didn’t do anything wrong. We wanted the memorial to keep his memory alive, and remind people of what happened to him.

“It just looks awful now. To think it happened just two months after the trial finished, and someone does that. I’m sickened.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the fire was being treated as arson.

He said that no arrests had yet been made, adding that a crime scene remained in place around the memorial.

He said: "Police were called by London Fire Brigade to reports of a fire in the street in Caledonian Road at 5.30 hrs on Wednesday November 11.

"The fire has being treated as arson and is being investigated by officers from Islington CID."

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