Plaque honouring man fatally stabbed at Redditch Asda unveiled

Ian Kirwan was attacked by a group of boys at an Asda in Redditch

A plaque paying tribute to a man who was murdered outside a supermarket has been unveiled at the store.

Ian Kirwan, 53, was attacked by a group of boys at Asda in Redditch on 8 March 2022 and fatally stabbed in the heart.

His friends contacted the supermarket's chief executive to ask if a memorial could be put up to remember him.

The plaque in memory of the engineer also recognises paramedics, shop staff and customers who tried to save his life.

He had only stopped in Asda to use the customer toilets and confronted the boys in there for messing about, a trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard.

The plaque in memory of Mr Kirwan also recognises paramedics, shop staff and customers who tried to save his life

Anti-knife crime campaigner Peter Martin's fundraising of more than £3,500 led to 50 bleed control kits being distributed to venues in Redditch.

Mr Martin, who described the plaque as "fantastic" said Mr Kirwan's death had "had a big community impact on Redditch".

"Comparatively speaking Redditch is a safe place, but it just shows the tragedy and the impact events like this have on whole towns and communities," he said.

Redditch borough councillor Conservative Emma Marshall said: "For this to happen in Redditch, and I live just around the corner, was absolutely awful.

"It's so important that we as a community stick together. It's about us all being humans and all deserving to be safe."

A 15-year-old was detained for at least 14 years for Mr Kirwan's murder, while three others were given youth rehabilitation orders after being cleared of murder, but found guilty of violent disorder.

Councillor Emma Marshall said it was important for the community to "stick together"