Family of tragic Alan Cartwright celebrate teenager’s life one year on from murder in Caledonian Road

The family of Alan Cartwright approaches his memorial outside Cally Pool, in Caledonian Road, yesterday - the first anniversary of his murder. Picture: James Morris (Image: Archant)

Yesterday morning, Alan’s relatives returned to Cally Pool, in Caledonian Road, where he died last year after being stabbed in an unprovoked attack.

Together, they walked to his memorial outside the swimming pool, before gathering in nearby Thornhill Square, where a cherry blossom tree was planted in his memory. A celebration of his life was also held in Kennedy’s pub in Caledonian Road last night.

Sister Cherrie Ives, 22, told the Gazette outside his memorial yesterday: “Mum and dad come down every Friday to light candles, but obviously being a year today, it does make it a bit more daunting.

Cherrie and her brother Alan Cartwright (Image: Archant)

“It’s been a whole year. It’s gone so fast. Nobody can believe it, really. It’s quite scary.”

Alan, who lived in Huntington Street, off Caledonian Road, was a former City and Islington College pupil.

On the evening of Friday, February 27 last year, he was cycling with friends when Joshua Williams, 18, jumped from behind a car and drove a knife into his chest.

The family of Alan Cartwright pay their respects at his memorial outside Cally Pool, in Caledonian Road, yesterday - the first anniversary of his murder. Picture: James Morris (Image: Archant)

He and two accomplices – Shaquille Roberts, 19, and a 17-year-old boy who can’t be named – had schemed to steal the bikes being ridden by Alan and three of his friends.

Williams, 18, of Davenant Road, Upper Holloway, was jailed for a minimum 21 years after being found guilty of Alan’s murder following an eight-day Old Bailey trial in September.

Roberts was sentenced to 30 months’ detention in a young offenders’ institution, while the 17-year-old was handed a 28-month sentence after both pleaded guilty to robbery.

Islington Council planted a cherry blossom tree in Alan Cartwright's memory on Friday evening. The tree is in Thornhill Square, just off Caledonian Road where Alan was murdered on February 27, 2015. Picture: James Morris (Image: Archant)

Asked if her family has since found closure, Cherrie said: “After the court case we got the justice that we were looking for.

“We knew it was not time to forget everything that happened - but a time that we could have Al laid to rest and be at peace after everything that has happened. It has made us more at ease.”

A bench will also be installed in Alan’s memory next to his cherry blossom tree in Thornhill Square.