AFTER six years and three trials, Gloria and Richard Taylor finally saw justice done for their son Damilola yesterday when two brothers were convicted of killing the ten-year-old boy.

The couple walked from the Old Bailey leaving Danny and Ricky Preddie, two teenage street robbers with a long history of violence, facing possible life sentences after being found guilty of manslaughter.

The jury took little more than six hours to reach their verdict. Damilola bled to death after being stabbed in the thigh with a broken bottle on a South London street in November 2000.

Yesterday, as the verdicts were announced, Ricky Preddie, 19, shouted at the jury: “You are corrupt. You are nothing.”

His 18-year-old brother tried to calm him down but Ricky Preddie was taken out of court surrounded by a dozen prison officers. The brothers will be sentenced by Mr Justice Goldring this month.

Throughout the commotion Mrs and Mrs Taylor sat quietly at the back of the court. They have attended almost every day of the three different trials surrounding their son’s death.

Yesterday, as he left court, Mr Taylor said: “No verdict can return our son to us. It is a great comfort that justice has finally been done for Damilola. We pray his gentle soul can now rest in peace.”

The case has cost an estimated £16 million and left question marks over the efficiency of the once highly respected Forensic Science Service.

Within an hour of the verdicts the Home Office announced a review by a QC into the service and how key bloodstains, which should have convicted the two brothers five years ago, were missed.

Commander Dave Johnston, the head of Scotland Yard’s murder teams, said: “I am dismayed the evidence has not been found sooner. Clearly the forensic issues raised will cause us to look at other cases.”

Neither the Taylors nor the police know why Damilola died.

One of his friends told police that he thought Danny Preddie may have come off worse in a fight with Damilola, who had come to Britain only a few months earlier from Nigeria. Detectives believe that Damilola was surrounded by a gang of youths in Blakes Road, Peckham, as he made his way home from an after-school club at Peckham library.

A small green beer bottle was broken, leaving a shard of glass which was used to “juk” (stab) Damilola in his left thigh.

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