Swindon stabbing victim's family feel 'let down' by justice system

Lee Turner died on a playing field in the Pinehurst area of Swindon

A family of a "brilliant uncle, son and brother" who died after being stabbed in a park say they feel "let down" by the justice system.

They say they have been "left to grieve with no justice" after the man accused of murdering him was found not guilty.

Lee Turner, 33, died of a single stab wound to his chest in October 2021.

Treyvon Ejiogu, 18, was found not guilty of murder by a jury at Bristol Crown Court in January.

After Lee's death Miss Turner set up the community group Change Lives No to Knives with her friend Danyelle King to tackle knife crime in Swindon.

Ejiogu, from Empress Avenue, Waltham Forest, London, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and two counts of involvement in the supply of class A drugs.

He was sentenced to 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, at Bristol Crown Court on 18 January.

Mr Turner from Park North, Swindon, was attacked on The Venney in the Pinehurst area of Swindon on 10 October, 2021.

Miss Turner said Lee was a "brilliant uncle, son and brother"

Jordan Turner described her brother as "loving, caring and funny".

She said: "We are left to grieve with no justice. We have been failed by the justice system."

• Listen to Miss Turner tell her story to BBC Radio Wiltshire

Miss Turner admitted her brother was a knife carrier and said: "All these young men and women out here carrying a knife they don't actually realise the severity of it until their loved one is led in a morgue."

Miss Turner, right, and Danyelle King come together in Cross Kitchenn, which is used as a safe place for people to hand in knives and weapons

The group Change Lives No to Knives has been collecting knives from parents and young people for the past month in collaboration with local Caribbean restaurant Cross Kitchenn.

The restaurant's owner Odane Cross runs the project Trade the Blade, where people can drop off a knife in exchange for a discount on their food.

Miss Turner said: "Last week at our safe spot, a rambo knife and two gas guns were handed in.

"People are coming forward and we just want to say thank you to the ones that gave their things in already.

"It is a hard thing to do, we get that, but it is the right thing to do."

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire, Philip Wilkinson, added: "It is that broad engagement with everybody that's out there in order to better co-ordinate and co-operate together, so as to make better use of our scarce resources to target the knife crime which is plaguing the lives of young people."