Year in review: Corbyn victory but borough reels as four die in stabbings

Floral tributes to Henry Hicks (Image: Archant)

The year began with the shocking discovery of the bodies of two men, Othamane Majdouline and Leandro Da Silva, following a flat fire in Stelfox House, Penton Rise.

A 37 year old man was charged with their murder.

There was some good news, however, with actress Barbara Windsor cutting the ribbon to open a new cancer information and support centre at the Whittington Hospital in Archway

FEBRUARY

Alan Cartwright, 15, died following a stabbing in Caledonian Road. The community rallied around the family, with a vigil taking place the following month and a 70-mile charity bike ride taking place in June, on what would have been his 16th birthday.

Thousands of people also attended the funeral of teenager Henry Hicks, who died in a scooter crash during a police chase in December 2014.

MARCH

The Gazette began its general election coverage. Both Jeremy Corbyn and Emily Thornberry would go on to retain their Parliamentary seats with record majorities in May, in an election which saw a Conservative government returned with a majority for the first time since 1992.

APRIL

Islington celebrated its 50th year as the constituency it is today, having been formed out of the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury.

MAY

Arsenal FC won the FA Cup for

the second year running, defeating Aston Villa 4-0 in the final at Wembley and holding an open top bus parade to showcase the trophy.

JUNE

Another stabbing rocked the borough with the death of 16-year-old Stefan Appleton in Nightingale Park, Canonbury. Two teenagers were charged with his murder, and their trial is due to take place in the coming year.

Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, announced his bid to be leader of the Labour Party, running on a strong anti-austerity platform.

JULY

There was shock in the community as 83-year-old Harry Nechell, of Junction Road, Archway, was robbed of his savings for the second time in four months.

The month also saw the council launch a gang squad to crack down on gang recruitment in the borough.

AUGUST

Community spirit was highlighted when 30 people came together to lift a taxi off 42-year-old Claire Miller following an accident outside Bank Station, leaving her with no serious injuries.

But David Wood, 22, died after a collision with a bus in Farringdon Road, just days after he secured his dream job as a radiotherapist at Bart’s Hospital.

SEPTEMBER

Islington found itself in the national spotlight as Jeremy

Corbyn became leader of the

Labour Party with a staggering 59.5 per cent of the members

vote.

Marcel Addai became the third stabbing fatality of the year in Hoxton.

Later in the month, Claudia Hicks, who set up a foundation in the name of her brother Henry, was named Inspirational Fundraiser of the Year in the London category at the Pride of Britain Awards.

OCTOBER

The council hit the front page following its third data breach in four years, this time relating to parking penalty charge notices.

The authority bring some good news, however, with the announcement that a new school was to be built on the former site of Ashworth Primary.

NOVEMBER

Vaso Kako, 17, died after a stabbing in Holloway. Mayor of London Boris Johnson urged more stop and searches to help combat the problem.

The news of Vaso’s death was accompanied by the announcement that crime figures in nearly every category increased in 2015, with Islington having more people hospitalised for drinking than any other borough.

DECEMBER

The year ended on a somewhat brighter note with Jeremy Corbyn joining members of the community in a vigil at Finsbury Park Mosque.

The vigil was held to show solidarity following a failed arson attack in November.

Five families of Syrian refugees became the first to be housed in the borough.