London court clears man of 10-year-old's murder

LONDON - A 20-year-old man has been cleared of murdering schoolboy Damilola Taylor by a London jury.

Taylor, 10, bled to death on a stairwell on a rundown housing estate in Peckham, south London, in November 2002. The youngster had only recently arrived in Britain from Nigeria and had been at an after-school class at a local library just minutes before he died.

The trial is the second over his death: in 2002 four youths were acquitted of killing the boy after a witness who incriminated the defendants was discredited as a fantasist by defence lawyers.

Jihad Hassan had been charged with murdering Taylor, along with two brothers, now aged 17 and 18, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The judge told the jury at the Old Bailey, which was still deliberating on the brothers, that he would accept a majority verdict in their cases.

The trio, who were 12, 13 and 14 when Taylor died, all denied any part in the youngster's death.

Jihad's lawyer had told the jury during the trial that while his client was a "wretched nuisance" with a robbery conviction, he was not a killer.

Taylor's death attracted widespread media coverage after CCTV footage was released of the boy as he cheerfully skipped towards his home only moments from his death.

At a time when street crime and violent offences were soaring, there was a public outcry about the death which triggered a political reaction.

Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed to re-tilt the justice system in favour of the victim and described Taylor as a "remarkable young boy".

Jihad and the two brothers were charged after a police investigation uncovered fresh forensic evidence, which prosecutors said linked the trio to the death.

The evidence, found on items of clothing, had been missed at the time of the initial investigation.

The prosecution argued Taylor had been stabbed with a bottle by a gang of youths, while the defence said the boy had accidentally fallen and fatally wounded himself.

- REUTERS