Primrose Hill stabbing: Harry Pitman named as stabbing victim

A 16-year-old boy stabbed to death in north London on New Year's Eve has been named by police as Harry Pitman.

Officers were called to the stabbing in Primrose Hill, Camden, at about 23:40 GMT on Sunday.

Metropolitan Police said first aid was given to Mr Pitman but he was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and taken into custody.

Ambulance crews were called to the scene

The force said the area was busy with people watching fireworks at the time of the stabbing and appealed for witnesses to contact them.

The park is not an official viewing area for London's New Year fireworks, but people gather there to watch them.

Det Ch Insp Geoff Grogan, who is leading the investigation, said: "My thoughts and sympathies are with Harry's family and friends at this difficult time. He was a young man with the rest of his life ahead of him.

"His family are understandably devastated and specially trained officers are supporting them as they come to terms with their loss.

"We know Harry was with a group of friends near the viewing platform on Primrose Hill where they had gathered to celebrate the New Year.

"It is here where we believe Harry became involved in an altercation with devastating consequences.

"Primrose Hill was very busy at the time and I believe there are people who witnessed the incident who have not yet spoken to police."

One local woman said there were "hundreds if not thousands" of people there at the time of the attack.

She said it was "absolutely tragic and shocking" that a teenager could be killed on her doorstep, adding: "It's not just a young people's party - there would have been families with young children there, too.

"It would have been rammed. It's not just locals - people come from miles around."

Several others said they saw police searching revellers before they were allowed to leave the park, forming queues which took a long time to clear.

A male has been arrested and taken into custody, police said

Another local described the incident as "tragic but inevitable" and said he had made "hundreds" of complaints to police about anti-social behaviour in the park.

He said it had become a "party hotspot" with drugs and alcohol since the pandemic.

Gina Germano, a mother of two teenage boys who were at Primrose Hill at the time of the attack, said she had "warned" her sons about gangs there, explaining it had become "rough" since 2020.

On Monday morning, police officers stood guard at every entrance to the park, directing dog walkers and joggers away from the area and telling them it would be closed all day.

Police tape has been used to section off the area, and a forensic tent has been erected at the northern end of Primrose Hill.

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