UK NEWS: Murdered Jimmy remembered at school

10:10pm Monday 12th May 2008

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The family and classmates of murdered 16-year-old "gentle giant" Jimmy Mizen remembered him on what would have been his last full day at school.

The popular church-going student was killed on Saturday morning, the day after his birthday, following a row as he went to buy his first lottery ticket.

Police are continuing to hunt his attacker, who launched an "unprovoked and vicious" assault after unsuccessfully challenging the schoolboy to a fight in the Three Cooks bakery in Lee, south-east London.

Det Chief Insp Cliff Lyons, who is leading the investigation, said officers had gathered CCTV footage and "significant" forensic samples. He also made a fresh appeal for other witnesses to come forward and speak to officers.

The detective said: "It was Jimmy's birthday on Friday and today would have been his last day at school - a time any parent will know marks the transition from teenager to adult.

"In keeping with this and his good nature, Jimmy showed great maturity and refused to react to the antagonistic actions of the suspect."

Jimmy should have attended a celebratory leavers' Mass at St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive in nearby Eltham before starting revision for his GCSE exams. Instead the occasion became a tearful service of remembrance for his grieving family and more than 100 of his fellow Year 11 pupils.

Afterwards Jimmy's parents Barry, 56, and Margaret, 55, paid loving tribute to their "happy-go-lucky" son and recalled the happy final few days they spent with him.

Mr Mizen, who is deputy chairman of governors at the school, said: "He was a dear, dear, sweet young man, we loved him dearly. On the night of his birthday he was going out with his friends and we cuddled him. That is just a great, great memory."

Speaking about the parents of her son's attacker, his wife said: "What can you really say to them? You can imagine, that's their child, they held that boy in their own arms as a baby. They must be in pain. It's so painful that their child has been so cruel and so wicked."