Grandmother's plea not to carry a knife after teenager's brutal murder

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The grandmother of a teenager who was stabbed to death outside a pub in Essex is urging young people to think twice before carrying a knife.

Liam Taylor, 19, was killed in Writtle near Chelmsford in January 2020. Three men are serving life sentences for his murder.

His grandmother Julie Taylor is campaigning against knife crime and fundraising for the Liam Taylor Legacy fund.

Liam Taylor was was stabbed to death outside a pub in Writtle in Essex. Credit: Essex Police

Remembering her grandson, whose nickname was Fish, Julie Taylor said: "He was always smiling. He was always joking around.

"He was the life and soul of the party. He was always followed by girls. Absolutely everybody thought Fish was handsome and just a genuine, loving boy."

CCTV captured the moment Liam and his friend were attacked outside the Rose and Crown Pub in Writtle. 

In less than a minute Liam was stabbed multiple times and died. His friend was stabbed in the leg and survived.

Julie said: "We survive. We're breathing. That's it. We're brokenhearted, and every day it gets harder. It doesn't heal. Time doesn't heal. It just gets worse and worse every day. Every day is more of a battle to survive.

"There's no justice for Liam's death, he's never going to come back. They killed him in the most brutal way."

Liam Taylor's grandmother Juile is campaigning against knife crime. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Julie lives her life in tribute to her grandson, fundraising for defibrillators which can restart hearts and bleed kits which can help stem blood flow until paramedics arrive.

"They are life saving equipment," she said. "They can help anyone that is stabbed, and it's been proved.

"I've been with parents of children that have been stabbed and someone's had a bag and that's helped them or that's made them survive or that's kept them a little bit longer alive, so the parents could say goodbye."

Julie also works in the community, hoping her heartbreak will convince a young person not to carry a knife.

"I get up and tell Liam's story. I've watched 15, 16 year olds have tears in their eyes. And I think even if we save one person because of Liam's brutal death, we've saved a life."