Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Little Joel’s drug-deal brother just out of jail
THE brother of a seven-year-old boy murdered in a suspected gang-related arson attack was recently released from a jail sentence for drug-dealing.
Sam Urhie, 21, got four years, four months in February 2016 after he admitted selling cocaine and heroin as well as possessing drug money. Murder detectives are probing if his criminal history made him the target of Tuesday’s early hours attack in Deptford, South East London. Tragic Joel Urhie, who dreamed of becoming a firefighter, was trapped in his bedroom when the fire started.
His mum Sophie and sister, 19, escaped and were taken to hospital.
Police have seized CCTV footage from the house opposite in the hope it holds vital clues. Meanwhile neighbour Peter Hill, 69, told of hearing a disturbance in the early hours of the morning before the blaze.
Family friend Grace Gbenedio, 56, said she had seen Joel’s family in hospital and they were “doing well”. His sister was discharged last night.
She added Sam, who also visited his relatives, was “fine as much as possible”. Asked about speculation he was targeted, she replied: “It can’t be possible.”
Firefighters were yesterday offering to fit smoke alarms for the family’s neighbours in Adolphus Street. deepest mahogany. The friends, from Northallerton, North Yorks, dashed home and got back to their usual colour after 40 minutes in a hot shower.
Laura, above left, said: “It was a shame it wasn’t Halloween.” Rosie added: “We were offered a free spray tan as compensation – but we declined.”