Family's tribute to 'full of joy'boy who was stabbed to death

THE family of a nine-year old boy who was stabbed to death have paid tribute to the “lovely lad who was full of joy”,

Relatives and friends of Jack Taylor will gather to pay their respects to the schoolboy today at a funeral service for the youngster.

Jack, of Richardson Avenue, Bradford, died on February 18 from multiple stab wounds and a wound to his neck.

His 20-year-old brother, Daniel Taylor, of Richardson Avenue, Bradford, has been charged with Jack’s murder and wounding his 18-year-old sister Rachel and remanded in custody.

In a tribute to their son, the Taylor family said: “Jack was a lovely lad who was full of joy. He'd been our lives for the past nine years and 10 months and in that time he brought us loads of happiness.

“Jack loved his family and his family loved him. He particularly looked up to his older brother Daniel. They were identical as kids – so alike – both of them were bright and quick. Jack learned a lot from his brother and he loved him and his brother loved Jack.”

The family said that Jack also loved his two sisters and adored his niece Lola, who is 18 months old.

“He used to entertain her at bathtime by getting into his swimming shorts and jumping in the bath with her to pretend he was scuba diving.

“Lola has been a great comfort to us all at this time – she’s kept us occupied and made us smile. Jack wouldn’t want anyone to be upset – he didn’t like it if people were sad,” they said.

The popular youngster was just as at ease with older people as he was with his classmates at school.

His family said: “Jack had a lot of friends and was popular at school – very much the joker of the class. He also found it incredibly easy to mix with older people and just got on with everyone.

“Jack was a kind, caring and funny little lad. He lightened everybody’s hearts. We all miss him so much – he’s left a large gap in our family but he will be forever in our hearts and we have many lovely memories of him.”

The young Liverpool FC fan led a full life, enjoying football, swimming and boxing training.

“He was a very active little lad,” said his family. “He played football and often scored goals and he enjoyed supporting football as well – his team being Liverpool. He also liked swimming and even put his goggles to good use when not swimming by wearing them when he was chopping onions so his eyes wouldn’t get sore. He also liked boxing training. He was just a normal little lad.”

Recalling happy times with the little boy, they added: “Jack had a competitive edge – if we were playing board games, he always wanted to win and occasionally cheated to make sure he did!

“Jack was a good saver. He used to save up his pocket money until he had enough to buy himself games for his X-box.”

An inquest into Jack’s death, which opened last week at Bradford Coroner’s Court, heard that at about 7.42pm on February 18, paramedics found Jack with stab wounds “mainly to the neck and abdomen” at a house in Rookes Avenue, Bradford. He was dead on arrival at hospital. The inquest was adjourned pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.