Relatives of a burglar who was fatally stabbed during a botched burglary in south-east London have pledged to keep returning to the scene to replace tributes that have been torn down twice in 48 hours.
Henry Vincent, 37, died following a struggle when confronted by Richard Osborn-Brooks, the owner of the house he had entered. Last Friday Osborn-Brooks was told he would face no further action after he was arrested on suspicion of murdering Vincent.
On Tuesday an inquest into the death was opened and adjourned at a coroner’s court in Borough, south London.
Outside the home of Osborn-Brooks in Hither Green, two women returned to the street on Tuesday evening to replace flowers and cards pinned to a wall that said Vincent was “a good man” and insisted that the flowers were being put up to remember him as a father, brother and friend.
“You don’t know the real version of the truth – nobody does,” said one of the women, who identified herself only as ‘Elvina’. “Flowers get up and they stay up whenever a bike rider dies. This is no different.”
Trampled flowers and soiled cards had littered the street on Tuesday morning after they were torn down in the middle of a night. They were replaced shortly before midday but less than an hour later, a man who described himself as a local arrived and cut the flowers and cards back down.
The two women arrived back at the scene at around 5pm and spent close to an hour putting the tributes back up, surrounded by camera men and reporters as several police officers stood nearby.
“Do you think that he would be remembered in this way if he was such a bad man, or that people would pay for all these flowers if he was?” Elvina asked those gathered.
The women denied that the tributes were meant to intimidate anyone, including Osborn-Brooks. He remains under police guard with his wife, Maureen, amid reports that friends of Vincent have threatened to take violent revenge.
“What does he have to fear? Who does he have to fear?” said the women, who identified themselves as gypsies and said that they were being treated differently because of their backgrounds. “Why is it that everyone has a chance to have their say, but we don’t get our chance.”
The re-erected tributes elicited an angry response from some local residents. A women and her teenage daughter stopped to read the cards after Vincent’s relatives departed the scene in a car.
“I think it’s disgusting that old people have to live in fear. There
are too many burglaries and people have a right to defend themselves,”
said the daughter. “They shouldn’t come to put this stuff up. It’s an insult.”
Nikita Hill, who lives nearby, told the Press Association: “I don’t think they should have put it outside his home. Maybe they could have done it further away. But he’s got loved ones and family too so I understand why they did it.”
Officers have spoken with Vincent’s family about their reasons for not taking any further action against Osborn-Brooks, according to the Metropolitan police.
DCI Simon Harding, of the Met’s homicide and major crime command said: “This is a tragic case for all of those involved. As expected with any incident where someone has lost their life, my officers carried out a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the death.
“We have approached the CPS for early investigative advice, as required under the guidance. We have received and considered that advice, and, at present – on the evidence available – we will not seek a charging decision. Therefore, no further action will be taken against the man.
“Whilst there might be various forms of debate about which processes should be used in cases such as this, it was important that the resident was interviewed by officers under the appropriate legislation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, not only for the integrity of our investigation but also so that his personal and legal rights were protected.”
At the inquest, two female relatives, accompanied by a police family liaison officer, were present during the brief inquest hearing in which the police authorised the release of Vincent’s body to his family. The 37-year-old, who died at University Hospital Lewisham, was single and not in work, the hearing was told.
Harding said: “The facts are that on Wednesday 4 April, two males including Henry Vincent entered a residential address at about 12.40am whilst committing a burglary.
“During this burglary the male resident stabbed Henry Vincent, that ultimately led to his death.”
The hearing was told that Vincent was identified at the hospital mortuary by his sister. His place and date of birth were given as Sidcup and 15 April 1980.
Sarah Ormond-Walsh, an assistant coroner for south London, briefly explained the role of an inquest, and told the relatives: “I know you are having a dreadful time.”
The Met have released an image of the man alleged to have been Vincent’s accomplice in the aggravated burglary, which took place on a quiet residential street in the borough of Lewisham.
The man was named as Billy Jeeves, who the force said had links to Orpington and Swanley in Kent, and Cambridge.
