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Published: 29th April, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON

THE family of a “legend” who was stabbed to death last month have paid tribute to the loving father and grandfather and spoken out about the knife crime blighting London’s streets.

Alan Smith, 63, was stabbed in a café in Walthamstow in March. Although he had lived in Leyton for the past 15 months, he spent 30 years in Islington, where his children Daniel, 23, and Alex, 20, still live. He worked for Islington Council “on the dust” and also as a bus driver.

Yesterday (Thursday) his long-term partner, Denise, and son Daniel spoke of their pain and anger following his death.

Sitting in their front room, filled with condolence cards from old and new friends, Denise and Daniel described how they will never get over the loss of Alan, a humble, peaceful man who loved fishing, sports, music and gardening.

“My dad was a Good Samaritan. He was a good geezer,” said Daniel, 23, who works at the Marie Curie charity shop in Highbury. 

“He loved to go fishing, and he used to take me to Victoria Park on our bikes so he could feed the ducks and the swans. He loved animals. He even used to feed the squirrels in the back garden.”

Denise, who was born in Islington, said the couple spent 30 years living in Eden Grove before they were forced to leave the borough because of high property prices.

“We met when he was on the buses,” she said. “He was a driver and I got to know him through the bus conductor who I was engaged to for eight years – although we had split up before Alan and I started going out. 

“He loved wildlife and his garden. We’re humble people. He was a gentle giant. He could look after himself, because he used to do martial arts, but he always said it was for self-defence.”

Unfortunately the attack in the Roma café was so sudden Alan had no chance to defend himself. He had already walked away from an argument in another café after he had innocently asked what was wrong with a baby who was crying. But he was followed by his attacker.

“He didn’t want any trouble,” said Denise, who was with him when he was stabbed. 

“He loved caffs,” added Daniel. “He was the best dad in the world. He was always looking after me, telling me to be safe. I remember when he used to tuck me up in bed at night. 

“He loved snooker, darts and football. He supported Arsenal but played for Millwall youth team. He liked to listen to music. To Dire Straits and Moby. Me and my dad had a special bond. My dad was a ­legend.”

Alan had a daughter, Estelle, 41, from a prev­ious marriage and a granddaughter, Millie, 7.

Denise has nothing but praise for the emergency services as well as her family, friends, neighbours and colleagues at Homes for Islington, where she works. She described each of them as a “brick”. She also praised trade union Unison, which will be paying all of Alan’s funeral expenses.

“I keep getting flashbacks,” Denise added. “It was awful. We’ve been like zombies since it happened. I’ve never hated someone so much in my life. And that’s what frightens me. It frightens me that I feel like that. If God takes you away that’s one thing, but to be murdered is just terrible.”

“I’m not sleeping,” added Daniel. “I want to get involved with fighting knife crime now. I’m going to make contact with the Ben Kinsella Trust [set up after the death of Ben Kinsella, 16, the Holloway School student stabbed in North Road in 2008]. Something has to be done to stop people carrying knives.”

Matthew Quefada, 25, of no fixed abode, has been charged with Alan’s murder. He will appear in court later this year. The funeral details have yet to be ann­ounced.