The mother of murdered schoolboy Tyler Hurley said “this Christmas will not be the same” as the man who killed her son was sentenced to a minimum of 26 years in prison.
Carlton Tanueh, 19, of no fixed address, stabbed Tyler, 16, on a bus in High Road, Chadwell Heath, on March 14.
The incident occurred just weeks after Tyler and his friends had uploaded a music video online mocking a number of Tanueh’s friends.
Tyler had posted on social media that, following the video, he had escaped from an attempted reprisal from associates of Tanueh unharmed.
After the attack, Tanueh had gotten off the bus to chase Tyler’s friend. However, he was found hiding behind a garden wall in Burlington Gardens after a member of the public had tipped off the police to his whereabouts.
During the interview, Tanueh answered “no comment” to all questions put to him by detectives. He was charged with murder and two counts of being in possession of an offensive weapon on March 16.
A pupil at The Warren School and past member of Romford Boxing Club, Tyler was remembered in tributes following his death as a “bright and charismatic boy" and a talented sportsperson.
Today (December 15) at Southwark Crown Court, Tanueh was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of murder on Wednesday (December 14).
He had pleaded guilty to two counts of being in possession of an offensive weapon at a previous court hearing and was sentenced to two years and six months to run concurrently.
Det Ch Insp Mark Rogers, who led the investigation, said: “This sad case exemplifies how petty rivalries and online taunts can have tragic real-life consequences, not just for the victim, but also his family and friends. I hope that seeing the man responsible for Tyler’s death found guilty will be of some comfort to them as they continue to grieve him.
“This was a callous attack in broad daylight that understandably shocked the local community, as well as Tyler’s fellow pupils and teachers at his school. I also hope that this case will serve as a warning - no good ever comes from carrying a knife.”
Tyler’s mum said: “Since losing my son Tyler Hurley my whole life feels like it has stopped in time. I have not slept through the night since I lost Tyler. This Christmas will not be the same without him.
“I have changed my whole way of life now to protect my other children. I feel that I cannot let them go out of my sight in case something happens to them.
“In my mind I can't believe that I have to live my life without my Tyler. When I contracted Covid for the first time, it was Tyler who made me dinners and would leave them outside my bedroom door as I didn’t want any of the children to be exposed to the virus.
“Every morning I would wake up and think that it was just a bad nightmare but then the realisation that Tyler has gone comes to the forefront of my mind.”
For the latest crime news in East London, join our East London Crime Watch group on Facebook.
Tyler’s sister added: “Tyler never deserved to die. He was 16. Just 16. With the opportunity to learn from his mistakes and grow into the amazing young man he was becoming, cruelly stolen from him.
“Tyler, you were the heart and soul of our family. You were and will forever be my biggest champion, there just aren’t enough words to describe how proud of you, I really am. You achieved so much in such a short space of time, from never losing a boxing fight to showing consistent pure dedication and unconditional loyalty.
“You are one of a kind Tyler, and I promised you, the day I held your hand for the last time, that I would never stop telling the world, how amazing you truly are, inside and out. There aren’t many hearts like yours Ty.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here