Murder of Marcin Bilaszewski - new councillor Claudia Webbe takes action after latest fatal stabbing

Published: 14 May 2010
by PETER GRUNER

NEWLY elected Labour councillor Claudia Webbe – a government adviser on crime – spoke out this week on the “shocking waste of a life” following the stabbing to death of a 19-year-old youth under the railway bridge at Finsbury Park.

Cllr Webbe, chairwoman of the Met police’s anti-gun crime group Operation Trident, blamed violence shown on TV, computer games and the internet, for often inspiring violent attacks on the streets.

The new Bunhill ward councillor warned that young people are continuing to resort to violence to settle petty disputes.

A moving tribute to the victim – Polish construction worker Marcin Bilaszewski from Stamford Hill – of flowers, candles and cards, remained at the scene under Finsbury Park railway bridge as police continued their investigation.

The killing happened at 11pm on Saturday night, after Marcin got off a 254 bus on Seven Sisters Road with a group of about 20-25 friends from Tottenham.

An argument had broken out on the bus. A man had shouted insults at the group. After the group got off the bus the man continued shouting and punched Marcin’s girlfriend Anna Betlinska, 17.

Marcin intervened on behalf of Ms Betlinska and was stabbed just feet from the entrance to Finsbury Park Tube. He died later in hospital. 

The man, described as aged between 25 and 30 and black, ran off.

Cllr Webbe said more needs to be done to address the disproportionate amount of violence committed by and against young people.

She added: “Incidents of people carrying knives continue to go up and young people are too readily resorting to ­violence to settle their petty disputes.

“Violence seems to permeate our TV screens, games machines and on the internet. We have to address this culture of violence and the disproportionate effect it is having on young people.”

Courtney Bailey, chairman of the Finsbury Park Business Forum (and a member of FinFuture, representing 800 businesses and organisations) said the killing had shocked the community.

“This has happened at a time when crime is actually going down in the area,” he said. 

“It has never been ­better to live in Finsbury Park after years of the area being poor and run-down.”

Mr Bailey added that the stabbing happened at a time when the community were appealing to Network Rail for the 100-year-old “eyesore” bridge to be given a proper clean up and a coat of paint. 

“It tends to bring down the area, particularly compared to the new Finsbury Park station refurbishments of a few years ago,” he said.

• Detectives investigating the murder of Marcin Bilaszewski arrested a man yesterday (Thursday).

Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command arrested a 33-year-old man in the street in Wood Green. He was taken to an east London police station where he remains in custody.

A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a single stab wound to the lower back.

An incident room has opened under Detective Inspector Andy Yeats from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8345 1570; if you wish to remain anonymous please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.