The mother of murdered schoolboy Shaquille Smith has paid tribute to her son, hours after police made their first arrest in the hunt for the 14-year-old's killer.

In a statement issued through the Metropolitan Police press office, Mrs Sandra Maitland-Smith, a social worker, remembered her son's beautiful eyes, his easygoing nature and what she called his star quality.

"Shaquille said to me a week before his death, 'Mum, this has been my best summer, I have really enjoyed myself,'" said his mother, in her statement.

"'Usually I can't wait for it to be over so I can return to school, but this year I want to stay at home and have more fun'. He had a unique character and common touch that would have both taken him to the top and maintained him in that position. He was a tough individual with a lot of drive, with an easy going and pleasurable-loving nature.

"He had a large measure of star quality, which attracted people of all ages and nations to him. His genuine charm was highly persuasive when discussing his views or offering suggestions. It did not help that his beautiful eyes mesmerised you. He had a cheeky grin and loved playing pranks on you and then laugh.

"He loved football and Manchester United, and when I threatened to stop paying for the sports channel he asked how much it was, and said, ' I can pay that out of my dinner money'. Shaquille loved food, especially Chinese, and would spend his money all the time on food."

Shaquille was knifed in the stomach on Saturday as he sat on a park bench directly outside his home in Hackney. Witnesses described how a gang of about 15 youths rode up on bicycles and launched an apparently unprovoked attack.

He had been due to go back to school this week to start his GCSE studies. Detectives arrested a man in his late teens at an address in east London in the early hours of this morning. Friends claim that Shaquille may have been the innocent victim of a feud between rival gangs in Hackney and London Fields.

His mother told today how Shaquille had hoped to get good grades in his exams so that he could quit London altogether and move to Jamaica where his family had its roots.

"Shaquille loved Jamaica, which he travelled to on a regular basis, his last holiday being in December 2007 where he spent a month," she said in her statement.

"Shaquille pleaded with me on a regular basis to let him live in Jamaica. When I asked him why he preferred Jamaica, he replied, 'All my friends and family are on the same road, and I don't have to travel to see people. I feel free'.

"Shaquille and I made a deal that he would get good grades at school in preparation to live and work in Jamaica when he was older. His sister recently received her GCSE results and they were good. Shaquille made a bet with me that his results would be even better and he made me promise that when he got them I would buy him a car after he got his driving licence."

Shaquille's elder sister, Titi, 16, was also injured in the knife attack. Her aunt has said that Titi is recovering physically but was emotionally hard hit by the loss of her brother.

His mother spoke of how Shaquille had occupied a special place in the family's hearts. "For 13 years, Shaquille was the youngest of my four children, until I had his baby sister a year ago.

"He wanted a boy, so that he could play football with him. When he had a baby sister he was mesmerised by her, and being the big brother she became the focus of his life. Before she was one, she could say his name, 'Shaq', as he said it to her every minute of the day, even when she was sleeping.

"Shaquille was not fussy. He was not into having designer clothes or having the latest gadget. He just wanted his clothes replaced when they were too small for him and we would always laugh and say, 'Shaquille, you can't go out dressed like that, it does not match'.

"He spent his time with his friends, but loved being with his family, especially his siblings."

Mrs Maitland-Smith revealed that Shaquille had stayed at home last week preparing to return to school. He had only left the house on Saturday - the day he was killed - to help his sister.

"Shaquille was at home from Wednesday, leaving the house for the first time on Saturday night to help his sister move some items to her new flat. One of his friends said they had been phoning Shaq all week to come out, and he said, ' No, I've got to get focus for school next week'.

"Shaquille was special to us. We loved him dearly and he will always be in our hearts. There is nothing bad I can say about him. He was only fourteen. He was just happy. There is so much that can be said about Shaquille. But it would take a book to cover his short time he spent on earth."

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