Arrest and appeal in Isschan Nicholls murder

13 January 2012

Appeal type

Incident Date

13/01/2010

Incident Location

Parnell Road, E3

Description

A reward of up to £20,000 remains on offer for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the 18-year-old's death as his family also urged the public to come forward and help the investigation.

Police were called at about 21:10hrs on Wednesday 13 January 2010 to reports of a fight in Parnell Road E3.

Officers discovered two male teenagers nearby suffering from stab wounds. Both were taken to Royal London Hospital.

Isschan, of Poplar E14, died early on 15 January 2010. A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as stab wounds to the abdomen and thigh.

The second victim, aged 17, was treated and discharged.

Isschan was attacked by a group of up to 15 youths who entered Parnell Road via Lefevre Walk.

The fight involved weapons including baseball bats and pieces of wood. A number of weapons were recovered including what police believe was the knife used to stab Isschan.

Detective Chief Inspector Charles King, from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said:

"Two years on from the incident, I am making a further appeal for information.

"I know that Isschan and four of his friends, having travelled from the Isle of Dogs, were in Parnell Road at about 9.15pm. They were in a dark blue Rover.

"The vehicle was attacked by a large group of people, who I firmly believe are local to the area. The car and its occupants came under a sustained attack which left Isschan and one of his friends stabbed and the vehicle with smashed windows and dented bodywork.

"The attack was witnessed by many people and the suspects were seen to run away from the scene towards Roman Road.

"A fresh suspect has been arrested this morning and I am convinced many people in the local community and also on the Isle of Dogs hold vital information in this case.

"I would like to hear from those who called with important information shortly after the incident to get in touch with the incident room again - your identity will be kept confidential. I would also like to hear from anyone else who has yet to come forward who could provide us with the information we need.

"There is a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to a prosecution in this case. New legal provisions allow the police to keep your identity confidential, and your information could prove vital in securing justice for Isschan and his family."

Isschan's mum Jennifer Williams said:

"It has been two years since our son Isschan was murdered.

"Two birthdays that he never celebrated, two Christmases that he never spent with his family. Knowing the fact that his murderers are still at large has made these occasions even more difficult to bear.

"There was no goodbye, just a phone call in the evening and then two days of hell in intensive care at the Royal London Hospital. Unless you have had a loved one dying in a traumatic way, it is a series of emotions no one will ever understand.

"We are at a standstill, we are not living life, we are just trying to survive every day. Time goes on, it has not stopped but our lives have. There isn't a minute/hour/day that we don't think of Isschan. Everywhere we look there is a memory of him. In conversation his name will be mentioned. On a good day we will laugh at the memories, on a bad day we cry in pain and anguish.

"His room is how he left it, his clothes in the wardrobe, his T-shirts still in his drawers. We still feel that he will walk through the door and go in his room. There are days when we can't believe that this has happened to Isschan. When eventually our mind does bring us back to reality it's like being hit by a bus - from then on we know it's going to be a bad day because we can't accept this reality.

"Knowing that we will never see him become an adult, be an uncle and parent and live a life like us all is excruciating. There are times we feel guilty for the snippets of laughter that we do have. We feel that we can never find the happiness we deserve because Isschan will not be there to enjoy it with us.

"It is Isschan that is keeping us going. Knowing that he wouldn't want us to crumble, he would want us to continue life as we know it - unfortunately this is easier said than done.

"We are extremely appreciative of the support we have received from our family, friends and local community. Without them we would not have been able to get this far. We have had shoulders to cry on, warm words of encouragement and most of all people have given us strength to keep coping.

"There have been comments from people that have been hurtful. These people just make an assumption from the media and make a judgement based on that. We learnt early on that the media do NOT always get it right! We are angry and frustrated about the "wall of silence" that is surrounding this case. The people that were involved that night surely must feel something. If not, they are animals, animals that attack with no remorse.

"We feel there is a misguided sense of loyalty. How can you kill another human being in front of people and no one say anything, especially if it was someone you knew. Is this what our world has become? This is unacceptable.

"We will never be able to overcome Isschan's death. All we are asking for is help in bringing his killers to justice. We know there were numerous people who were present when Isschan was stabbed. It is hard to understand why no one has come forward to help the police with their enquiries. We can't comprehend that there is some kind of ethic where it is cool "not to snitch" on MURDERERS. We need anyone with information to come forward, to help us and the police find out what happened that night, 13 January 2010, and to make sure these people are brought to justice.

"After experiencing the outcome of Steven Lawrence's case, we are hopeful that justice will come with the assistance of a community, no matter how many years it takes."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4054 Or if you wish to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

+ A total of 17 other people have been arrested during the course of the enquiry - two women and 15 men. No further action has been taken against any of them.