Sami Sidhom: West Ham fan was unlawfully killed, inquest rules

It is believed the killers of Sami Sidhom thought he was someone else

An 18-year-old West Ham fan was unlawfully killed on his way home from a match, an inquest has ruled.

Sami Sidhom, who was reading history and law at university, died after being stabbed near his home in Forest Gate, east London, in April 2018.

Despite a number of arrests and many police and family appeals, his killers have never been caught.

Assistant coroner Ian Wade said he was satisfied the student was set upon "criminally, wickedly and maliciously".

The teenager, who was described by friends as "smiley, skinny and humble", was attacked by up to four men as he walked home from watching a West Ham football match.

Mr Sidhom was attacked on Chestnut Avenue

Det Insp John Marriott told the inquest that of 11 people arrested in connection with the case, nine have been released under investigation and two have been ruled out.

A further "person of interest" left for Somalia after the killing and has not returned.

Mr Sidhom, who lived with his father and grandmother, was the subject of a Crimewatch reconstruction last year, which suggested he was attacked in a case of mistaken identity.

Mr Wade said that based on the evidence, it would be "repugnant" to consider Mr Sidhom's death a result of accident or misadventure.

Samer Sidhom said of his son: "It's difficult to move on knowing that the people who did this to Sami are still free and could do this to another family.

"It still feels as if it happened yesterday. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't miss him. My life has ended, he was my only son."

The investigation remains active, detectives have said.