News: Star Wars Actor John Boyega's Tragic Connection to a Slain Schoolboy Whose Death Shocked a Nation

Ten-yr-antique Damilola Taylor's brutal death stunned England in 2000, and now the boy's father has found out that megastar Wars actor John Boyega turned into protectively together with his son simply before he died – and maintains to honor his legacy.

Richard Taylor advised U.ok.'s The replicate that Boyega and his older sister Grace had been the two children seen alongside Damilola inside the extensively visible final image captured of him simply before his loss of life.

Taylor revealed that Damilola, a latest Nigerian immigrant, changed into leaving the Peckham Library after a laptop magnificence and John and grace wanted to walk him home. A CCTV picture suggests the trio coming into an elevator as they organized to depart.

“Damilola and John and beauty have been so close. They were looking after him whilst he arrived in the uk, because they went to highschool collectively," said Richard, whose families lived inside the identical South London public housing group, known as the Peckham estate.

however, he says his son assured them he might be excellent.

"They desired to escort him home, however he stated he changed into going to be adequate. They left him by the junction then he went across the nook and the group have been expecting him," he said.

Damilola become stabbed inside the thigh and left a trail of blood as he tried to crawl to safely. He became reportedly nonetheless alive within the ambulance but died a short time later.

Six years later, brothers Danny and Ricky Preddie, a while 12 and 13 at the time, had been convicted of manslaughter.

Now, 15 years after his loss of life, Richard Taylor says John Boyega has by no means forgotten his friend.

Boyega invited Taylor to attend the London best of famous person Wars: The pressure Awakens alongside his family. He also nominated the Damilola Taylor consider to receive price range from the charitable initiative famous person Wars: pressure for change.

Now, Taylor could not be extra pleased with the young guy who rose to stardom with out forgetting his beginnings.

"there may be true coming out of the vicinity," he said. "John's promoting Peckham, no longer denying his roots. Damilola would have been doing the equal aspect."