News RSS Feed


Evren's sister: 'I will forever have a broken heart'

4:21pm Tuesday 4th March 2008

comment Comments (6)   Have your say »


The sister of Evren Anil has described how the loss of her beloved brother tore her family apart.

Elif Anil said her parents Altun and Niyazi split up and her brothers have needed psychiatric treatment as they struggle to come to terms with Evren's death.

Elif's statement was read out at the Old Bailey this afternoon after two teens admitted killing 23-year-old Evren in a row over a half-eaten chocolate bar.

Elif said: "I love my brother Evren and always miss him. I will forever have a broken heart and remember August 5 until the day I die.

"My mum still to this day goes into his bedroom expecting to find him there and still expects him to walk through the door. These are wishes. But they are wishes we have to wish because of two heartless people."

Elif described Evren as "the best person you could ever hope to meet" and said her younger brother was a generous, caring individual.

"She added: He was a fantastic son, uncle and friend. I was blessed to have a brother like him."

Evren had graduated from Kingston University with a first-class computer sciences degree and had landed his dream job with IT firm Logica a week before he was attacked in Central Hill, Upper Norwood.

The former Harris and Coulsdon College student spent his free time helping teach others.

He had been travelling in Elif's car on August 5 last year when they pulled up at traffic lights in Central Hill, Upper Norwood.

As they stopped at the lights two teens came up to the car and one threw a half-eaten Lion bar through the open window at Evren.

Eyewitness Derek Porter said in a statement to the court that he saw Evren step out of the car and throw the chocolate bar back at the youths, before remonstrating with them.

Mr Porter said it was then the 17-year-old pulled down the waistband of his trousers to reveal a knife, saying, "do you want some, do you want some".

He intervened, standing in between Evren and the teens, and told Evren to get back in the car.

He said the situation looked serious so he went to the nearby police station and called for help on the phone as the station was shut.

While he was there Evren was punched and fell to the ground.

Eyewitness Mrs Hunt said: He fell straight to the floor. His body limp like a doll, hitting his head against the kerb. His head seemed to bounce on the impact."

The two teens ran off. Passersby ran to help Evren who was unconscious.

He came round and insisted on standing up, before being helped inside Elif's car.

When police and the ambulance arrived he was vomiting and was taken to King's College Hospital with suspected head injuries.

He lost consciousness in the ambulance and slipped into a coma. He died from his injuries eight days later.

Elif told the court that today she cannot bear to go past the spot where Evren was attacked, finding alternative ways to go to and from the family's Upper Norwood home.

She also said she no longer trusts people and fears for her safety, where as she didn't before.

The two teens pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article at the Old Bailey.

The 16-year-old from Thornton Heath and 17-year-old from Tottenham will be sentenced on April 4.



Your Say YourCroydon Guardian

sue nagle, says...
9:48am Wed 5 Mar 08

this is what every member of the community fears and I am so sorry for this poor family. I think of him often and want them to know that his death has not gone unnoticed or forgotton. The people of the community are shocked and sickened for this loss and the awful nightmares it will cause for those nice people left behind to cope with the loss. I too feel resonsible for a loss and I want to share with you that the pain will ease especially when you realise that the person who has gone loved you and would be upset if you wasted your life falling apart. Love to all the family

ben, croydon says...
9:51am Thu 6 Mar 08

I am sorry for your loss and wish for you to accept this apology on behalf of our humanity. Alot of things happen that cannot be comforted by ones self alone.
it is natural to be menatlly blinded by a loss of someone very special; but i plead with you Elif Anil and your family to come together and comfort eachother; do not allow your loss to determine the rest of your future. do it for your brother as im sure he would'nt want to see you in this state.
stay blessed



Sharon, Croydon says...
6:59pm Thu 6 Mar 08

What a waste of a life for somebody so special. What is happening to this country, haven't people got anything better to do. If people haven't got jobs and can't/don't want to work, do something voluntary at least you will be off the streets and doing something worthwhile.

Azrael, Greece says...
1:36pm Sat 8 Mar 08

People such as those two youths deserve no remorse & no forgiveness. Their punishment should be much more severe than even lifetime imprisonment. There should be no law whatsoever to protect people like this. Their punishment should be a matter of public opinion, no matter how harsh. British kids these days grow up thinking they are "gangsters", a laughable concept to anyone apart from them. It normaly takes more than 3 of them to dare to confront anyone & even then they are armed. I come from a country that has to suffer their behaviour on a regular basis. But here they get to find out the hard way it is not tollerated & that they are nothing more than little children with big ideas of themselves. Britain needs to change its laws so the public can take matters into its own hands, without fear of comming up against the law.
I sincerely hope that their names are disclosed to the public & that they remain branded for life & punished by those around them. They should be forced to spend the rest of their days providing for the family of the unfortunate young man. Incidents like this sicken me to the bone.
His family has my deepest sympathies & I hope that any fate or curse they wish upon the two thugs comes true!

Ian Payne, Walsall says...
8:37pm Sat 8 Mar 08

It seems we are on the verge of lawlessness and mayhem in this once green and peaceful land !!!

Rachel Stone, says...
8:38pm Fri 4 Apr 08

I am so terribly sorry for the poor family of Elif Anil.
The shock of losing someone close to you like this must be impossible to bear.
To discover the ludicrous sentence passed down by the judge is to add a huge dose of salt to the wound.
I am despairing at the way our country seems to be losing it's grip on all that is sacred and British.
This shameful sentence just confirms to me all that is going wrong with our great nation.
My deepest condolences to the Family.

Comments are closed on this article.

Grieving: Elif Anil described Evren as the best person you could ever hope to meet Evren Anil

Grieving: Elif Anil described Evren as the best person you could ever hope to meet

Beloved son and brother: Evren Anil



Sponsored Links


Local Links


Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »