First the vile shrine, now stabbed burglar gets birthday balloons
But latest tributes are taken down within hours
PROUDLY brandishing placards, balloons and bouquets, a group of women paid tribute to career criminal Henry Vincent yesterday on what would have been his 38th birthday.
The mob of 20 women and five men – some covering their faces – tried to leave the tokens on a fence opposite the boarded-up home that Vincent was raiding when he was fatally stabbed.
It follows an extraordinary row over a shrine to the burglar which was erected and removed three times last week.
Police moved the latest tributes only 18 yards to another spot on South Park Crescent, Hither Green, south- east London. Council officials took them away in a white van hours later and they were relocated in a garden area a short distance away.
Vincent, who had been armed with a screwdriver, was stabbed as he raided Richard OsbornBrooks’ home in the early hours of April 4. Mr OsbornBrooks was arrested on suspicion
New location: Council workers moved tribute to garden of murder – but after a public ‘Daddy’. A woman who said she outcry he was told two days was his aunt said: ‘At the end of later that he would face no further the day Henry was not a murderer, action. he was not a killer.’
Yesterday the women carried Asked if she felt they were balloons for Vincent, a member being racially discriminated of a traveller family, that read against, she said: ‘Yes I do and at ‘You’ll be missed’. the end of the day you cannot
One of the cards showed a get any worse a penalty from a teddy bear with the word judge than the death sentence can you? Henry got a death sentence.’ A woman who did not want to be named said: ‘We’re here because it’s his birthday, we just want to lay flowers. We don’t want to cause any violence.’
When asked how Vincent should be remembered, another woman said: ‘We all loved him.’
A family member added: ‘He was a great dad, the children got a good education, go to church. There’s only one judge and that’s Jesus Christ.’
Vincent’s family have been locked in a battle with 78-yearold Mr Osborn-Brooks’ neighbours over the floral tributes. Locals fear trouble if a planned funeral procession goes past Mr Osborn-Brooks’ home.
A source close to the pensioner’s family said: ‘It’s supposed to be a message to locals and the guy who killed him that gipsies are not to be messed with.
‘They’re planning to spend £50,000 just on flowers. There will be limousines and ornate horse-drawn carriages.
‘Vincent spent his life ripping off the elderly yet his funeral’s designed to make you think he was some kind of gipsy god.’