A mum who lost her son to gang violence three years ago has pleaded for peace after four weeks of bloody youth battles on Wandsworth’s streets.

Maureen Enyonam spoke of the “utterly senseless” stabbing of her 16-year-old son Eugene Attram, who was a pupil at Ernest Bevin College in Tooting.

Speaking at a memorial event on Thursday held for the families of gun and knife victims, Ms Enyonam urged other teenagers not to take revenge for his death.

She said: “My son should have gone to university now. I work at a university and every time I see the freshers come I think Eugene should be here.”

“Whatever it takes, don’t be angry with each other. Learn to trust each other. Let’s stop this nonsense.”

Dozens of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters paid tribute to their children and siblings at Blend Bar in Wandsworth High Street.

Speakers also included Shaheed Ali, whose sons Mohammed and Hayder were beaten and stabbed by a mob in Fircroft Road, Tooting, in 2006.

Like many of the speakers, he talked of his frustration at the lack of support for grieving families, and called for longer jail terms for murderers.

He said: “Life should mean life. There are more facilities for defendants than victim’s families. I don’t think there is one person in Parliament who has lost a son or daughter like this - how can they know what we are going through?”

After listening to the stories, Chief Inspector Tim Harding from Wandsworth Police stood up and promised to work with the local community.

He said: “We have got to get it right. When families go through a crisis we have to help not to make it worse. Clearly we have got it wrong in some cases.”

The event was organised by Mitcham mother Iffat Rizvi - whose daughter Sabina was shot six years ago.

After the murder Mrs Rizvi set up a charity, Sabina's Trust Against Revolvers and Racism, to campaign against gun crime.

For more information visit starr-homicide.org.uk.

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