It has been more than two-and-a-half years since Emma Bartolo’s 16-year-old son, Charlie, was “brutally” stabbed to death by a group of teens in Sewell Road, Abbey Wood.
Charlie had been out riding his motorbike at 5pm on November 26, 2022, unaware that he would become yet another young victim of knife crime.
The random attack by five teens who were armed with knives lasted less than a minute – less than a minute for eight stab wounds to be inflicted, one of which penetrated Charlie’s brain.
She said: “Charlie was an innocent 16-year-old out driving his motorbike that came just a month earlier. A day that shouldn’t have happened, but it did.
“I’m haunted by what they did to my innocent, fun-loving boy who had the biggest golden heart and a smile that lit up my day. A smile that isn’t ever coming back.”
Since she “lost everything”, Emma now doesn’t come out of her room.
Her home is an archive of loss. Everywhere you look there is evidence of a grieving family.
Pictures of Charlie adorn the flat, with hopeful messages hung on walls, and by her “spot” on the sofa, a glass cabinet like a shrine containing her son’s belongings.
In it, one of his baby shoes and several angel figures.
“It’s just this whole culture of knife crime. Something needs to be done, instead of it keeping going on.
“How many mothers have got to go through this ordeal for someone to do something about it?
“The dreadful consequences of the culture of knife crime, which affects so many cities.
“I don’t want my son dying in vain.”
Her plea to bring an end to knife crime in London is shared by Marie Bokassa.
Marie has “begged” young people carrying knives to stop, after her 14-year-old son Kelyan was stabbed to death by smiling teens on a bus in Woolwich.
Charlie’s family want to see changes to laws, as well knife crime becoming a topic taught about in earlier years in the education system.
Until then, they are stuck with the mental torment of asking themselves the ‘what-ifs?’.
“For life there’s going to be ‘what if?’. But then I’ll always question what more can be done, because how many more children is it going to take to lose their life?
“How many more family, friends, communities are going to have to live through this before something serious does happen? It doesn’t even need to be change – it needs to be stopped.”
Her feelings are shared by Charlie’s aunt, who also wishes not to be named.
His aunt added: “It seems like yesterday.
“Emma’s brain is still on the 26th of November, but her body still carried on moving in a way. She has good days, she has bad days.
“We were just the extremely unlucky family that night. If it hadn’t have been my nephew that night, I probably would have been shedding tears for someone else’s child.”
Hussain Bah and Alagie Jobe, both 19, were handed life sentences with minimum terms of 25-and-a-half years and 25 years respectively.
Sammie Shallangwa, 16, and 18-year-old Jake Debonsu were given life sentences with minimum terms of 18 years and 17 years respectively.
But to Charlie’s loved ones, the sentences are a “kick to the teeth”.
“We are the ones who are going to do this life sentence – not them. We are here struggling without Charlie.
“There’s always one missing and that’s always going to be Charlie.
“Another life taken – not just a child – another life.”
They fervently believe that the system needs to be revised – to bring in stronger punishments for first time offenders found carrying or using knives and weapons.
All four of Charlie’s killers had been involved in knife crime offences or demonstrated a fascination with knives in the months before his death.
Just three weeks earlier, Shallangwa was involved in the stabbing of another 16-year-old as the victim was leaving school.
Videos and images were later uncovered of him holding a zombie knife.
Bah was found guilty of injuring with intent in October 2022, after an incident outside a chicken shop that saw him accidentally stab his friend.
Jobe’s home address was searched in May 2022, uncovering a rambo knife in his bedroom.
Debonsu had a previous conviction for possession of a bladed article, and made admissions in prison that he regularly carried blades.
Charlie’s aunt said: “They carry them, they use them, and they get let off.
“The system is wrong.
“I think personally the police are overrun with all these young youths because there’s no punishment for the youths. We’re quick to say ‘the police aren’t doing their job’ but they are.
“They’re overwhelmed. They’re human as well – there’s only so much the police can do.”
Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “Any life lost to knife crime is one too many and my heart goes out to the family and friends of all those affected by these horrendous acts of violence. We’ve long been clear that we cannot arrest our way out of violence, and since 2019 London’s VRU has been leading a public health approach to tackling the causes of crime rooted in prevention and early intervention, funding positive opportunities for 500,000 young Londoners.
“This includes funding targeted interventions when young people first come to attention in hospitals or police custody to steer them away from crime, reducing the risk of reoffending.
“Earlier this month the Mayor announced £6m in funding for the Holiday Hope programme, investing in prevention and positive opportunities for young people this summer. We are clear violence is preventable, not inevitable and we’re committed to working closely with partners across London to help young people thrive, and build a safer London for everyone.”
The Home Office has been contacted for comment.
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