Father shares harrowing footage of moment son is stabbed to death in plea to tackle London's knife crime

A father has released harrowing footage of the moment his son was stabbed to death, in a bid to get knives off the streets.

Aspiring fashion designer Lauric Lebato, 22, from Hackney, was stabbed in the back by Sulaiman Sillah when a fight broke out at a party.

Sillah, 20, of Leicester, was yesterday jailed for life with a minimum of 24 years after being found guilty of murder.

Now Lauric’s father, Tagbeu Lebato has made a film with Leicestershire police highlighting the devastation his death has caused.

Mr Lebato, 48, said: “In that split-second my life finished. Now I have no future, I just exist in a dark and painful present.”

Speaking in the video, he says: “You have just watched my son Lauric being stabbed to death. I told you it would be shocking.

"But how do you feel? How do you feel about that knife that took our lives? I do not ask you to pity my life.

"I have no need of your pity. Instead, I ask you to think about that knife that took the life of my beautiful little boy.

"Now, think about another knife that may one day take your life or the life of someone close to you. My name is Tagbeu Lebato. Think lives not knives.”

Sillah, who claimed he acted in self-defence, was also found guilty of a separate charge of wounding with intent.

On February 11, Sillah attended a fellow De Montfort University student’s birthday party in a basement flat in Leicester. Also there were about 15 members of the Manor House Gang from London, including Mr Lebato.

A row between the students and the gang led to a fight which spilled out into the street, where Lauric, who had armed himself with a fire extinguisher to protect himself, was stabbed.

Mr Lebato said: “I have never seen this footage. I never want to. I don’t need to. For me the knife that killed him destroyed me as well.”

Lauric’s family moved from Ivory Coast to London for a better life when he was a baby.

“We had very few things and very little money, but I had a dream that one day I would have a child ... he was and always will be in my mind a beautiful, happy little boy,” his father said.

“I don’t sleep any more — I just suffer.”