Jermaine Cools murder: Father says he forgives son's killers

The father of a 14-year-old boy stabbed to death in south London says he has forgiven the people who killed him.

Jermaine Cools was attacked on London Road, Croydon early on Thursday evening. He died in hospital after flagging a car down.

He was the 27th teenager to die by homicide in London this year.

His father Julius Cools said the killers did not know him because "if they knew him, they wouldn't have done that to him."

Speaking at the scene where Jermaine was stabbed, Mr Cools said: "The people that did this, I forgive them. I'm not the one to give judgement. I'll leave them in God's hands. He can deal with them the way He wants to deal with them.

"He (Jermaine) was not a violent person and you've taken our angel away.

"All I can say to you is just be honest with yourself and just go to the police. Maybe it was a mistake and them tell you're sorry."

Jermaine's mother Lorraine Dudek added: "I don't know what happened. I still can't understand.

"I know whoever did this obviously didn't know Jermaine because Jermaine didn't have any enemies or problems with anybody.

"Jermaine wasn't in a gang. He was a good boy. He didn't go out and fight, he was always happy, always laughing, always smiling, so maybe they didn't know what they were doing. In a moment of haste, maybe, they didn't think but they should come forward and think," she said.

She described her son as her soulmate and best friend.

"Jermaine was a mummy's boy, he was with me 24/7. We were always together.

"He was loving, caring. He put everyone before himself and was 100% family-orientated. He was always with his family. Any member of his family, he was always with them."

Beah Wilson, Jermaine's aunt added: "We've forgiven the people who did it. We don't hate anybody, we are Christians.

"What they did maybe they didn't think twice, they didn't think about it. They took Jermaine away. We can't bring him back but we forgive them. We are a very forgiving family."

No-one has been arrested. Witnesses or anyone with information, have been urged to contact the Met Police.

Jermaine is the 24th teenager to be stabbed to death in London this year. Three of the deaths, including Jermaine, occurred in Croydon.

Ms Dudek said: "We have to change this, something has to change.

"We need to do whatever as a community we can do to stop this. I don't want anyone to go through this feeling now because Jermaine was my life. My home is empty without him.

"Jermaine had a whole family that loved him and I don't want anyone else to lose their childhood or feel what I feel or go through the pain that I'm going through, that our family are going through. I want this violence to stop. These kids to stop fighting, to stop fighting each other.

"They're all young men they have to love each other and respect each other."