Family of boy, 16, killed in New Year’s Eve Primrose Hill stabbing ‘distraught’
Harry Pitman’s older sister reportedly said his heartbroken mother could not bear to take the dinner he was supposed to eat out of the oven.
The family of a 16-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed on New Year’s Eve at a popular London firework spot have spoken of their devastation.
Harry Pitman was attacked as he waited to watch the fireworks with friends near the Primrose Hill viewing platform in Camden after an “altercation”, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remains in custody at a north London police station.
Speaking on Monday evening, Harry’s older sister Tayla, 19, told the MailOnline of her family’s heartbreak, adding that her brother could be “mischievous and cheeky” but he “didn’t have a bad bone in his body” and “always stood up for what was right”.
She said: “It doesn’t seem real, I keep on expecting him to come through the front door. His dinner is still in the oven, mum can’t bring herself to remove it.”
She added: “I’m devastated, he was my baby brother. He didn’t even get to see the fireworks, which is why he went to Primrose Hill in the first place.”
The 16-year-old had ambitions of joining the Army and following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who served in the Second World War, the Mail reported.
Harry’s older brother Patrick, 18, told the Mail his brother was a huge Tottenham Hotspur fan and had gone to Primrose Hill with seven of his friends.
He said: “We are all distraught, it just doesn’t seem real.”
The park was cordoned off on Monday morning as dozens of police patrolled the area and turned away families hoping to walk their dogs there.
Forensics teams arrived later in the day and a forensics tent could be seen at the crest of the park, while rubbish from Sunday night’s festivities littered the hillside.
The spot is among the most popular in the capital for those hoping to watch the London Eye fireworks, and one local woman told the PA news agency there were “thousands” of people there at the time of the attack.
She said it was “absolutely tragic and shocking” that a teenager could be killed on her doorstep, adding: “It’s not just a young people’s party – there would have been families with young children there, too.”
Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Grogan said Harry was with a group of friends when he became involved in an “altercation with devastating consequences”, describing the attack as a “senseless act of violence”.
He said the area was very busy at the time and he urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward immediately.
Mr Grogan added: “My thoughts and sympathies are with Harry’s family and friends at this difficult time.
“He was a young man with the rest of his life ahead of him.
“His family are understandably devastated and specially trained officers are supporting them as they come to terms with their loss.
“A dedicated team of detectives are working hard to establish the events that led to such a senseless act of violence.”
Several locals said they saw police searching revellers before they were allowed to leave the park on Sunday night, forming queues which took a long time to clear.
One man, who wished not to be named, described the incident as “tragic but inevitable”, claiming that the park had become a “party hotspot” since the pandemic.
A university student who said he was at the scene when paramedics rushed to try to save Harry’s life said: “There were some officers holding a space on top of the hill which seemed strange, then we realised CPR was going on.
“In pretty rapid time around two dozen more police arrived, put up a cordon, and ambulances then came through the crowd up to the top of the hill too.
“The police – and then medical crew – were doing constant CPR for at least 10 minutes and likely longer before we arrived, but sadly to no avail.
“(It must be) absolutely horrible for his family.”
