Lad, 21, Killed in Night Bus Brawl
Sion Donovan and Anthony France, The Sun (London), December 10, 2007
A BUS passenger has been stabbed to death—in what his dad claimed yesterday was a race attack.
Roofer Billy Ward stood up to two black youths who started slapping his head on the night service.
Pals say they followed the 21-year-old down from the top deck to the front of the bus and a fight broke out.
The driver pulled over at a stop in Croydon, South London, and the brawl spilled on to the street where Billy was knifed in the chest early on Saturday morning. Last night a youth was charged with his murder.
Billy’s distraught dad Bill Ward, 52, of New Addington, said last night: “He was picked because he was white. This was a racist attack.
“They started on him because they thought he would be a push-over but my son stood up to them. The police had better catch his killers before I get hold of them.”
Billy was taking the N159 home from a night out.
At first he did not realise he had been stabbed, but he lifted his top to see blood pouring out and collapsed at around 3.40am. His smirking attackers fled.
Pal Joe Penfold, 23, said: “Billy’s got pride and he faced up to them.
“He was a happy-go-lucky guy. A lot of women loved Billy. He was a charmer.”
Billy had two younger brothers and a younger sister. He lived with his mum Jenny—who is divorced from Bill.
Cops asked witnesses to call them on 020 8721 4805.
