His death was a tragedy but his life was triumph
Mum’s tearful tribute as inquest opens on London Bridge terrorist’s victims
THE mother of one of the victims of the Fishmongers’ Hall terrorist attack has tearfully described her son as a “force for good in the world”.
Cambridge University graduates Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were killed by Usman Khan at a prisoner rehabilitation event near London Bridge on November 29, 2019.
As an inquest opened yesterday, Jack’s mum Anne wept as she told jurors: “Jack Merritt was a good person. Jack was a force for good in the world, someone who made other people’s lives better for knowing him.
“We are hugely proud of who Jack was and what he stood for. His death was a tragedy but his life was a triumph.”
Mrs Merritt read tributes from friends and family who described Jack as a “true visionary”, a “very cool brother” and “fiercely loyal” friend who “championed the underdog”.
The inquest at the Old Library in the City of London’s Guildhall, heard her read a message from Sarah, landlady of The Punter pub in Cambridge, who said: “For sure Jack was destined to do great things. But his swagger was far from superficial – this young man was clever, had full ownership of a sound moral compass and the intellectual might to challenge the norm.” Jack worked for the Learning Together criminal justice charity. Its students and mentors said: “The world has lost one of its true visionaries.”
The jury saw police photos of Jack, Saskia and Khan at the event. Footage showed Khan, 28, talking “animatedly” with Saskia at a table, even though they had not known each other. Khan was still armed with two knives and wearing a fake suicide vest when tackled by members of the public with a decorative pike, a narwhal tusk and fire extinguisher before being shot dead by police on London Bridge. Henry Pitchers QC said Saskia’s family decided against doing a full portrait for her as it “would fly in the face” of her private nature.
He said the former criminology student would have wished for the inquest to focus on the evidence, with the “emphasis to be on a thorough investigation as to how she came to lose her life”.
And he added: “It would be her hope no other family is devastated and heartbroken again in similar circumstances.”
Saskia’s family want her legacy to be her work in the field of sexual violence and rape crisis as well as with Learning Together.
Mr Pitchers said: “Her passion in this area enabled her to find her career path with the hope of becoming a detective in victim support within the police. The positive impact Saskia had on so many people in challenging situations provided a valley of light for them to seek a way forward.”
The inquest continues.