Star Wars actor, John Boyega was one of the last people to see Damilola Taylor alive, says Richard Taylor

Star Wars: The Force Awakens star, John Boyega was close friends with Damilola Taylor and according to Taylor's father, Boyega was one of the last people to see his son alive. Damilola was killed just a few days to his 11th birthday by two brothers, Danny and Ricky Preddie, aged 12 and 13 at the time, in south London.

Richard Taylor disclosed this in an interview with the mirror, adding that the 23-year-old actor and his sister Grace were both close to young Damilola.

 

Damilola (pictured left) with John and Grace, 13 at the time (blurred, on the right) in CCTV footage taken shortly before he died

 "John and Grace were looking after Damilola when he arrived in the UK, because they went to school together. The three of them were captured in the CCTV recording that the police used when they asked people to come forward to assist with the investigation.

 

"Grace became so close to Damilola – it was almost like boyfriend and girlfriend."

He added: "They were the last to see him. They wanted to escort him home, but he said he was going to be OK. They left him by the junction then he went around the corner and the gang were waiting for him."

Mr Taylor recently found out that John Boyega had nominated the Damilola Taylor Trust to receive a donation from the film’s launch.

"I was overwhelmed. It filled me with joy."

He said Boyega’s success makes him wonder about how his own son’s future could have unfolded.

"I thought: 'Oh wow, Damilola could have been working with him as an actor. Damilola was acting in primary school – in Christmas plays, school plays, reciting poems and all that kind of thing."

Damilola had moved to Britain from Nigeria a few months before he was stabbed in the thigh with a broken beer bottle by a gang of youths as he walked home from the local library after school.

The youngster was found bleeding to death in a stairwell near his home in Peckham, south London, where local workmen tried to save his life.

 

The Preddie brothers were convicted of Damilola's murder six years after it happened.