TWO young lives have been lost – but while one teenager will eventually be able to walk free, another will never rise from the grave.

TWO young lives have been lost - but while one teenager will eventually be able to walk free, another will never rise from the grave.

These are the words spoken by the grieving older brother of Nassirudeen Osawe who died five days before his 17th birthday after being stabbed through the heart in Upper Street, Islington, in December.

The A-level art student from Grosvenor Road, Highbury - the youngest of five children - had been on his way to the West End to buy an Xbox cable.

Nassirudeen's brother Sal Idriss said the tragedy was "two lives lost - all over a senseless act". But the 38-year-old photographer added that the killer will get another chance at life.

Mr Idriss said: "I feel sad for his family that they are going to lose someone as well. And no family wants to have a family member labelled a murderer. But he will come out. With us, Nass can never come back."

Mr Idriss' family is "bearing up" - but the verdict has not brought a sense of closure. "We are happy and sad at the same time," he said. "We don't know whether to celebrate or cry.

"In one sense, justice has been served. But in another sense, there is nothing that can be done."

Mr Idriss doubts whether he will able to forgive his brother's killer. But he hopes that the sentence will send out a message to other youths in danger of going down the wrong road.

Mr Idriss said: "Maybe one day I will be able to forgive him - but not at the present time. The verdict gives a message to youngsters that if you do this kind of thing, you will not get away with it. You will be caught and tried and sent to prison."

Mr Idriss hopes that society can now tackle the scourge of knife-crime. Last Wednesday, he joined fellow bereaved relatives - including the partner of Islington stabbing victim Elliot Guy - to discuss ideas with Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Mr Idriss said: "My idea was better parenting. Not telling them what to do, not undermining them - just sharing ideas of how to make it possible for a child not to be associated with a bad crowd.