Community struggles to come to terms with tragedy of nine-year-old as brother charged with his murder

Neighbours of a nine-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in Bradford have spoken of their shock, describing him as a “lovely little lad”.

The schoolboy, Jack Taylor, who was also known as Jackson, was often seen by residents riding his bike around the streets near his home in Wibsey or playing football on a nearby green.

Last night, the same neighbours were trying to come to terms with his death as police arrested and later charged his 20-year-old brother Daniel Taylor with murder and wounding with intent.

The boy’s 18-year-old sister Rachel, believed to be a mother-of-one, suffered a stab wound and remained in hospital yesterday following the incident on Thursday night.

One resident said: “He was a lovely little lad. He was beautiful. My son is at school with him, he was a good friend. My son is putting on a brave face – they were fairly close. He was cheeky and comical – a loving child. He was a nice little boy.”

As officers continued to examine the scene yesterday, friends of the schoolboy waited near a police cordon where they had placed bunches of flowers they had brought to pay their respects.

The teenagers waited patiently by the floral tributes, one which carried the message ‘RIP Jackson’.

Elsewhere, people spoke of a “lively lad” who was cheerful and energetic.

The youngster is thought to have lived in the area for several years and was a pupil at Wibsey Primary School, where he is thought to have been a member of the school’s football team.

A resident in nearby Royds Hall Avenue said: “He was a cute little lad, always happy. When I saw him out on the street he was happy on his bike. He was always playing on his little bike. My little lad used to say ‘hiya’ to him and have a little chat.

“I saw all the television vans outside this morning. I heard what had happened on the news. It’s a quiet area. I couldn’t believe it.”

A large police presence remained in the area yesterday and officers stood guarding a cordon sealing off an area of at least 30 homes – including a house in Rookes Avenue, believed to be his sister’s home, where he was found, and a house in Richardson Avenue where Jack is believed to have lived.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he had been at home when the incident happened.

He said: “I had no idea how serious the situation was until the police arrived. We are all baffled as to how this could happen on our street. They were a close family and my heart goes out to them at this time.”

One female resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “Jackson was a lovely little lad. He used to play football on the green all the time.

“My boyfriend would join in and he said Jackson was really good for his age. I just can’t believe something like this could ever happen here, and to a nine-year-old boy.”

Local councillors spoke of their shock and offered their condolences to Jack’s family.

Wibsey councillor Ralph Berry said: “It’s a truly shocking incident.

“Our thoughts are with the family and we will await the full investigations to inform us of what’s happened.”

Fellow ward councillor Lynne Smith described the area as a “normal housing estate.”

“It's a terrible tragedy and we're all very shocked,” she said.

“All the relevant agencies are working very closely together – the police are doing a very thorough investigation and they’ve got extra officers out to provide a reassuring presence, because everybody in the immediate vicinity is going to be terribly shocked.

“It (the estate) is an area with some deprivation, but it also has a lot of residents who have bought their own houses.

“It doesn’t have a lot in the way of services for people and there isn’t very much for the young people to do – not that that necessarily has any bearing on this case.

“It isn’t a place I would say is unusually rough or violent.

“It’s just a normal housing estate where normal people live, doing their best to get on with their lives.”

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