Welcome to your local community website...
Reverend asks Ealing to forgive teenage riots killer
A CHURCH leader who helped bring people together in the wake of the riots has appealed to the community to forgive a teenager who admitted killing a pensioner in Ealing.
Darrell Desuze, 17, of Bath Road, Hounslow, pleaded guilty last week to the manslaughter of Haven Green man Richard Mannington Bowes.
The 68-year-old former accountant was killed as he tried to douse fires started by rioters in Spring Bridge Road at about 10.30pm on August 8 last year.
But the Rev Sally Hitchiner, of St John's Church, in Mattock Lane, West Ealing - where Mr Bowes' funeral was held last year, and which hosted a multifaith vigil in Ealing Green just days after the riots - asked the public to forgive Desuze, described by a neighbour as a quiet, polite boy who rarely left the house.
She said: "As a community in Ealing we must acknowledge the loss and ensure it doesn't happen again but also foster a society that promotes forgiveness and moving beyond this. It's important justice is done but also that we enable people including this young man to move beyond that."
Mr Mannington Bowes' sister Anne Wilderspin and her husband Michael, who live in Derbyshire, said they did not wish to comment until after Desuze is sentenced on April 16.
The couple previously thanked the community for their kind wishes following his death.
Ealing Police said Mr Mannington Bowes had paid a 'terrible price' for trying to protect his community.
The teen's mother, Lavinia Desuze, of the same address, was convicted of perverting the cause of justice on Wednesday (21) after destroying clothes her son had worn on the fatal night.
The 31-year-old, a student at South Bank University, will be sentenced alongside her son at Inner London Crown Court on April 17.
We'd like to hear from you. Send your stories, pics and videos
Older/Newer
« Pubs and clubs hope ID scanners will cut crime and boost Ealing Broadway trade | Music students will play with the Scots Guards to help heroes »
I don't know whether 'forgive' is the right word. It would be encouraging to see more youth workers and organisations in the Borough offering work placements to ex offenders, helping those who have been involved with crime secure jobs, work placements, support them in training or encourage them to study. We need more community mentors. What about prevention, so many young people can easily fall into crime due to lack of FREE after school events, parents working long hours and kids falling into the wrong company. There could be so much emphasis in trying to get businesses 'back to usual' and little investment supporting low income families, unemployed, family breakdown etc. I'd really like to see more free after school tuition for those children who are struggling with maths or English, private tuition fees are a joke some charging fifteen-twenty pounds per hour. Would be great to see some teachers in the Borough volunteering some time for a Saturday class in a community centre. I know so many parents who desperately want their children to do well at school but can't support them at home with homework maybe due to their own academic background/skills or can't afford extra help.
Sally why not volunteer some time at Feltham Young Offenders they are always looking out for community mentors, with your contacts could help create some job opportunities.
True repentance brings true restoration.
It's always the same.There's always some politically correct saintly folk,especially from the white middle classes who think that forgiving a pure piece of scum like Darrell Desuze will give them some kind of pureness and all off the backs of Richard Mannington Bowes family.Would they feel the same if it were one of their own family,I don't think so.Why don't people wake up to reality.Darrell Desuze got off lightly with only a manslaughter charge,well what a suprise.He killed and ruined peoples lives and now he'll live on with people feeling sorry for him.I'm not one of those stupid religious idiots who think they have a place in our society to preach their completely insulting views.Ok,just let Darrell Desuze out in a few years and give him everything,a nice flat,extra benefits and all the love from nice volunteers who'll help him enjoy a nice life.A great solution to give a murderer (yes a murderer)a new life and probably a new identity.
I am Richard Mannington Bowes sister. Richard was my only brother and was horrified to see the senseless damage and destruction in the Ealing Riots. Still more horrified to learn on 11th August that my brother had been seriously injured 3 nights before. We had been estranged for several years and I longing to be able to see him even though injured and perhaps be able to set things right. I was shocked when I realised that he was unconscious and on life support in St Mary's Hospital and devastated when he died later that night.
Darrell Desuze denied me the fulfillment of my longing.
Some months ago I decided to forgive Darrell. Forgiveness is not easy and is emotionally very costly. I do in no way condone his criminal acts but I have had to lay aside any claim to retribution and no longer hold anything against him and trust him to God as his just and impartial judge. Darrell will now be free to change if he so desires. As a committed Christian, I pray that he will one day seek God's forgiveness for his terrible acts on the 8th August and perhaps be able to attend a Life Changing Alpha Course even in prison.
Totally agree with you Anne forgiveness is a personal matter. I am very encouraged by some of the prison ministry work out there with befriending, mentoring, alpha courses and community chaplaincy work to help young people rebuild their lives. Matt 25.35. Believe me Anne many of us that I work with were very grieved by your brother Richard's death, an innocent life taken away. There is no explanation or justification how anyone can destroy a life. Your response above is very inspiring to all of us praying for Darrel and his mother that there is hope ahead in Christ Jesus.