Dad’s heartbreaking tribute to schoolboy son, 15, stabbed to death with a samurai sword
Jermaine Goupall, a 15-year-old aspiring architect, died last night after being attacked
THE dad of a teenage boy stabbed to death with a samurai sword on his way home has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his son.
Jermaine Goupall, a 15-year-old aspiring architect, died last night after being attacked after a day out with friends in Thornton Heath, south London.
His dad, Stanley, said he was speaking out about his son as he wanted his killers to know who he was.
The electrical engineer, 50, said: "Jermaine was a lovely person and adored by the community and his friends and family.
"Nobody had nothing bad to say about him, he had a good heart and was such a lovely boy.
"Jermaine would put everyone before himself and would help anyone.
"He was into badminton and was a great at swimming, he enjoyed sports and loved his cat Happy.
"He was very good at maths and wanted to be a gas engineer and had talked about being an architect, he was very talented.
"He was very kind-hearted and liked to share. He was a sociable boy who was loved by everyone and could talk to everyone regardless of whether it was children or adults."
Eyewitnesses said a mob of youths in balaclavas had attacked some other boys during Tuesday afternoon.
And hours later the same thugs attacked Jermaine and another boy who hid beneath a car while they repeatedly stabbed the teen.
Tilisha, 25, Jermaine's sister said: "Last night the police rang the door bell and before I had messaged him on Snapchat and he did not respond, usually he will respond and say where he is and usually we pick him up.
"I knew there was something wrong.
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"The police came shortly after 11pm, he had been out with friends all day and had gone to the cinema and then went out for dinner at a restaurant, he was catching up with his friends and was on his way home when it happened.
"He had nothing to do with them and was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he was an innocent boy."
Jermaine's friend Malachi, 14, added: "He was a good person, into football and he was a good friend and cared for other people and was loved by many.
"He listened and would talk about stuff. I last saw him three days ago, we were chilling in his house.
"I don't know why he was killed, I'm devastated."
The stabbing comes just weeks after a shooting in the same area.
A family friend who did not want to be named said: "Jermaine would've never came home that way, he was a good boy.
"He would never of done anything to hurt anyone"
Erouwo Olhoka, who lives nearby said: "I come here every day. I wouldn't of thought it would happen so close to home. I only live down the street"
A local mum added: "It really hurts me, it really angers me how a life can just be taken like that"
"I have a house full of girls, I'm scared for my girls."
In a separate case we reported a self-confessed acid attacker revealed the chilling tactics employed by gangs who dip knives in acid to use the corrosive liquids as weapons to scar and maim their rivals.
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