Mikey's mum: Killer's sentence won't stop knives (From Croydon Guardian)

Mikey's mum: Killer's sentence won't stop knives

8:49pm Thursday 17th July 2008

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The mum of a man stabbed to death in a Kingston nightclub says the four-year sentence given to his killer won't stop anyone carrying a knife.

Mum Claudette Brown wept in court as Shaun Greenidge from Hilary Avenue, Mitcham, was given an indeterminate sentence and told he would spend at least four years in jail, minus the 387 days he spent on remand, before he could apply for parole for the killing of her son, Mikey Brown.

Greenidge, who has a previous conviction dating back to August 2005 for carrying a knife at Mitcham Fair, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Brown in April at the Old Bailey.

Mr Brown, from New Addington, was fatally stabbed to death at The Works nightclub, St James Road, on June 23 last year.

Mikey, from New Addington, died in hospital after police were called to the club shortly before 2am on June 23.

It is believed the attack took place in the Boiler Bar area of the club after the pair had an argument about an incident in which one of Mikey's friends bumped into Greenidge's girlfriend.

Mrs Brown, who was in the court with Mikey's brother and aunty, broke down when her victim impact statement was read out.

Speaking outside court, Mrs Brown said: "I just think that the sentence given today is not sending out a message to anyone.

"This is not going to deter anyone from going out with a knife."

Jailing Greenidge, Judge Brian Barker, the Common Serjeant of London said: "This is yet another example of the dreadful consequences that flow from carrying a knife in a public place."

He added: "Mikey Brown would not have died if you had not gone out that night with a knife. This resulted in a totally unnecessary death."

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