Damilola killer recalled to prison

Damilola Taylor was stabbed in the thigh with a broken bottle in 2000

Ricky Preddie, one of the two brothers convicted of killing Damilola Taylor, has been recalled to jail

Published: 12:15pm, 10th February 2012
Updated: 12:02am, 11th February 2012

The father of schoolboy Damilola Taylor has called for a public inquiry after one of his son's killers was recalled to prison for a second time.

Richard Taylor is writing to Prime Minister David Cameron to ask for the inquiry into "how the system has failed so badly in this case", said the Damilola Taylor Trust.

It comes as Ricky Preddie, one of the 10-year-old boy's killers, was recalled to jail for a second time just 16 days after being released.

Preddie, who was jailed for eight years in 2006 for the manslaughter of the 10-year-old, was recalled to prison on Thursday night for breaching the terms of his licence after he entered an exclusion zone in Southwark, south London, and might have met former gang members. He had been free freed from Pentonville Prison in north London on January 25.

Gary Trowsdale, a spokesman for the trust, said Damilola's killers had never shown any remorse or signs of reform and answers were needed about the handling of their case.

"The Taylor family, society at large and also the boys themselves have been failed by the system and the academics that run it," he said. "Now we are demanding answers and believe a public inquiry is the only way of getting them."

He went on: "Richard Taylor, supported by the Damilola Taylor Trust and other victim families, is writing to the Prime Minister calling for a public inquiry into how the system has failed so badly in this case. For the second time in 18 months, the boy has been recalled due to breaking the terms of his licence."

Mr Trowsdale said: "Once again, Richard was informed by the media before the probation service let him know."

Preddie, 24, was originally released in September 2010 but sent back to jail last March for breaking the conditions of his licence. After being released again two weeks ago, he was arrested at an address in London on Thursday night.

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the probation union Napo, said: "He was recalled yesterday following information received from the police that he had entered the exclusion zone and may have been in contact with banned persons - former gang members. This is his second recall for the same breach of trust. It will be treated seriously by the authorities and he could now serve as much as another 14 months in custody."