16-year-old Stabbed To Death ‘Over Postcode’

The sister of a teenage boy stabbed to death in a city has said he was targeted “because of his postcode”.

Jaydon James, 16, known as JJ, was wounded in Coventry at about 23:40 GMT on Saturday, and died later in hospital.

Jayda James described her brother as the “sweetest, funniest most kind-hearted boy”.

His grandfather Joe Green said he had lost his life simply because he had gone out to buy some food.

“He wasn’t a fighter,” said Mr Green. “He went out to get something to eat and lost his life within about 500 yards of his house.”

Friends injured

Police said Jaydon was attacked while with friends in Deedmore Road, Wood End, a suburb four miles north of the city centre.

His friends were also seriously injured and taken to hospital, although their conditions are not known. No arrests have been made.

Writing on Facebook, Ms James said: “Jaydon was the sweetest, funniest most kind hearted boy.

“He didn’t fight, he wasn’t part of a “gang”, he was friends with everyone and tried to keep the peace whenever he could. Jaydon was stabbed to death because of his postcode, because he was a woodend boy.

‘Waited for help’

“I can’t believe someone took my brothers life simply because of the neighbourhood he lived in.”

She also thanked the boys who “stuck by Jaydon’s side” and “waited for help to arrive and made sure me and my mum was aware”.

Deedmore Road was cordoned off near the Moat House and Castle Wood School

On Sunday night more than 200 people held a candlelit vigil in Jaydon’s memory.

Mr Green called on the community to “pull together” to stop the problem of knife crime.

West Midlands Police said it was pursuing a “number of active lines of inquiry”.

Forensic officers have checked drains as well as around bins and vehicles on Deedmore Road.

Searches have also been carried out in the grounds of the nearby St Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Det Supt Matt Markham described the death as a “terrible loss”, and said officers were “working round the clock to find who was responsible”.

Coventry knife crime

The road by Moat House Leisure Centre was blocked off by police, with a cordon about 200 yards (180m) further down the road at the entrance to the Moat House and Castle Wood School.

There were 284 incidents of knife crime in Coventry up to 12 November this year, according to West Midlands Police.

The West Midlands recorded the highest number of knife offences outside of London, with 65 knife offences per 100,000 population.

In London in 2017/18 there have been 137 offences per 100,000 people. Yorkshire and the Humber recorded figures of 54 per 100,000.