Archie Beston's family demand justice on eve of sentencing

Archie Beston, 19, tragically died after he was fatally stabbed by Tyrone Bryan on February 29, 2020.

Since his death, Archie’s family and friends have rallied together and campaigned in his memory and in the hopes that fewer families will have to go through what they have these last few months.

Archie’s Mum Becky spoke with the Surrey Comet about the campaign and the shattering impact his death has had on her and others.

“He’s such a good, hard-working boy. It needs to be known how good my son is, he’s such a good kid. He would never have gone up to the van if he hadn’t been hit before,” she said, describing how Archie appeared to have been struck by a van in which Bryan had been travelling moments before the stabbing.

“He stabs my Archie in his aorta. It happened in a split second. The pathologist said he didn’t even know there was a knife because he would have put his hand up,” Becky added.

The Justice for Archie Beston campaign on Westminster Bridge

In their campaigning since his death under the slogan Justice For Archie, the teenager’s family and friends have advocated for as tough a sentence as possible to get a measure of justice after Archie’s death.

The campaigners are also lobbying for a review of the justice sytem with a view to imposing stricter punishments for knife crime offences. 

They have been bolstered by remarkable support from the community and the police, who Becky said had done “an amazing job. They got every bit of evidence they did everything they could do for my Archie.”

With that support, Archie’s family and friends travelled across London with the campaign, holding demonstrations outside Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and Kingston itself with banners that read ‘#Use A Knife, Get Life’ and ‘#Justice for Archie Beston’.

“The justice system needs to change. They were known for carrying knives... We had no idea about any of this, we’re so far removed from this,” Becky said, remarking on the two men, Byron and Finlay Ahwan, who were directly involved in Archie’s death (Ahwan drove the van that Byron was in during the incident).

Archie's Mum Becky holds his picture ahead of the sentencing.

While Byron was found guilty of manslaughter, Ahwan was convicted of attempted GBH (with the vehicle) and dangerous driving.

Both had previous convictions for offences including possession of a knife, the Met Police confirmed, after the guilty verdicts were reached earlier this month (October 2).

Becky described how Archie had played for a number of different football clubs in London as a younger teenager, and later worked at various Marks and Spencers. He enjoyed going out dancing and socialising, his Mum said.

“I was 19 when I had Archie and we share everything together. Now I’m 39 and my age is my enemy because it’s even longer till I get to be with him...Even now, I’m making a flask of tea and biscuit for him... I can’t sleep. I just don’t get a rest. It’s completely destroyed us all. It’s taken away everything. My whole world has stopped.”

For more information about the campaign, visit www.instagram.com/rememberingarchiebeston.