Murder victim's mum urges Clarke to go

May 2 2006 By Tony Collins, Birmingham Mail

THE mother of a Birmingham man murdered by a released Jamaican drug dealer has called on Home Secretary Charles Clarke to quit.

Dorothy Gayle, whose 25-year-old son Donovan was stabbed to death in a Lozells phone box in April last year, accused the under-fire minister of having "blood on his hands".

Mrs Gayle, aged 47 and who has nine other children, said: "My son would still be alive today if the Home Office had done their job properly. He didn't need to die.

"Donovan's killer should have been deported. He should not have been allowed to slip through the net and stay in this country."

She added: "The man who takes ultimate responsibility for this failure is Charles Clarke so I think it's only right he should resign.

He has blood on his hands. And it's not just my son either, is it? We know at least 1,000 prisoners have been allowed to stay in this country and are free to commit whatever crimes they like when they shouldn't be here."

Mr Clarke has been under pressure after it was revealed 1,023 foreign prisoners, including murderers and rapists, had been freed without being considered for deportation.

Donovan Gayle's killer, Mark Wright, had previously served nine months in prison for drug smuggling, but was not deported to Jamaica on his release.

Birmingham Crown Court had been told that Wright, 24, had been robbed of £30 worth of crack cocaine by Mr Gayle and another man.

Wright later spotted Mr Gayle in a phonebox in Heathfield Road, Lozells. He stabbed Mr Gayle in the head and chest, penetrating his lung.

Judge John Saunders ordered that Wright should serve a minimum of 18 years in jail before being considered for parole.

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