Parents in New Addington have said they fear for the safety of their children after a week in which a stabbing left blood trails on the school run and two murderers were sentenced for one of the most shocking crimes London has seen in recent years.
The Croydon neighbourhood is still reeling from the murder of Sarah Mayhew whose body was cut up and scattered in a local field, her killers being sentenced to a whole-life order and life sentence respectively.
Even as they tried to come to terms with that, parents were forced to step over blood trails on the school run, following a stabbing at the weekend which left a man with life-changing injuries.
While the strong community remains united in the face of the area’s violent history, concerns remain about public safety in the South London neighbourhood.
One local parent named Shar told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) they faced the grim consequences of violent crime as they made their way to Applegarth School on Monday morning, saying some parents and kids had to step over the blood trails.
She said: “It’s horrible to think we live in a place where this happens. It’s not too far away from us. A couple of my friends walked on the blood, it was right outside their houses.”
Bob Bradley, who has lived in New Addington since 1971, told the LDRS: “It never used to be like this, crime is getting worse. They need to put life back into New Addington because there’s nothing anymore for the kids.”
Emergency services were called to Lodge Lane, New Addington, at 10.50pm on Sunday, February 2, following reports of a knife attack. Upon arrival, police found a man in his 40s with heavy blood loss who was rushed to hospital.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told the LDRS that a 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the stabbing and is currently in custody.
They added: “We understand the concerns in the community following the incident and have had an increased police presence in the area. Temporary powers were also granted, allowing officers to increase stop and search in the area. This order has since been revoked.”
Many residents feel violent crime has become all too familiar in the area. One resident, Gary Pearson, took to Facebook to ask: “When is it going to stop?” While another, Mlo Dox, said: “Just another day in Croydon.”
One resident, who lived just doors away from the recent attack on Elmside, near the Fieldway tram stop, told the LDRS how she heard the sirens but went back to bed as she had ‘got used to the sound’.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said: “This is usually a quiet area, but I just know what has happened, I hear a siren. It happens too much, why in this area?”
This latest incident is part of a disturbing trend of violence linked to the area, including the tragic murder of Sarah Mayhew, 38, whose remains were discovered in Rowdown Field last year.
Previously convicted murderer Steve Sansom and New Addington native Gemma Watts were handed lengthy sentences in relation to her murder at the Old Bailey last week.
Builder Steve Sansom, 45, was out on a life licence when he murdered Ms Mayhew and scattered her remains across Rowdown Field. Sansom, who had previously murdered a taxi driver in 1998, and his partner Gemma Watts, 49, both pleaded guilty to murder and perverting the course of justice by dismembering Ms Mayhew’s body.
Mrs Justice Cutts sentenced Sansom to a whole-life order, meaning he will never be released, while Watts was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 30 years.
New Addington was also the focus of the court’s attention in December, when Shane Canavan, 23, and his half-brother Joshua Langley, 29, of Purley, were sentenced to life for murdering Bradley Hutchins, 22, and seriously injuring Calum Hutchins, 19, in September 2023.
The impact of Hutchins’ murder on the area is evidenced by a moving memorial left by residents outside the New Addington Fire Station. Photos and keepsakes belonging to the 22-year-old are reminders of how easily young life can be lost.
Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon
The wider Croydon borough has also suffered continuously from the devastating effects of knife crime. Schoolgirl Elianne Andam’s murderer Hassan Sentamu was only two weeks ago found guilty of murder for stabbing the 14-year-old to death on Wellesley Road in front of her traumatised friends. He is due to be sentenced in March.
New Addington, meanwhile, has been associated a number of times with particularly disturbing crime. The murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp by her grandmother’s boyfriend Stuart Hazell, who hid her body in the loft while holding press conferences about wanting to find her safe, was arguably the most distressing example. But having also dealt with the murder of Isabelle Lewis whose body parts were scattered on Addington Court Golf Course, and Lisa Pearce who was found murdered after neighbours had been involved in a desperate search for her – New Addington has a difficult history.
While some still appreciate New Addington’s quieter aspects, many feel the area is losing its sense of safety and community with incidents of knife crime perceived to be a regular occurrence nowadays. For many, this is due to the loss of public and community spaces.
Long-time resident Mr Bradley mourned the loss of local amenities like the Milne Park pitches near where he used to live, saying they are now poorly maintained. He also noted what he feels is a lack of police presence in the area despite the clear issue with crime.
“The police don’t have much of a presence up here. It’s probably because they don’t have a police station any more because of the cuts. That was a bad decision.”
Despite the growing concerns, some residents hope for a safer, more supportive community. The area, which has many council houses and a large number of people living in temporary accommodation, also hosts a number of local charities working to support those with housing and household issues.
Before leaving to take her child home from school, Shar told the LDRS: “Everyone is really happy and helpful. Everyone does look out for each other despite everything.”
