Bare-chested and taunting his victim's grieving mother from his cell trends now

Bare-chested and taunting his victim's grieving mother from his cell trends now
Bare-chested and taunting his victim's grieving mother from his cell trends now

Bare-chested and taunting his victim's grieving mother from his cell trends now

The bare-chested youth in the photograph is Marques Walker.

It's a still from a video he recorded on a mobile phone smuggled into his cell in Feltham Young Offender Institution, following his arrest for stabbing a 14-year-old boy to death with a so-called zombie knife in Croydon town centre in November, 2021.

When the video is playing Walker, now 17, can be seen rapping, dancing and smoking. Could there be a more graphic illustration of the failings in our criminal justice system?

Indeed, this case, disturbing for so many reasons, is littered with failings — otherwise you would not be reading this story and Jermaine Cools might still be alive.

The white patch on Walker's forehead, visible in the picture, is a dressing for a wound he sustained during an altercation in Feltham.

The white patch on Walker’s forehead, visible in the picture, is a dressing for a wound he sustained during an altercation in Feltham

The white patch on Walker's forehead, visible in the picture, is a dressing for a wound he sustained during an altercation in Feltham

Police were alerted to the existence of the video, which was circulating on social media, by outraged locals.

We have been told the footage showing Walker's complete lack of remorse — and obtained during our own inquiries into the killing — was passed to the judge who sentenced him to life at the Old Bailey this week after he pleaded guilty to murder.

Aged 16 when he carried out the killing, he was the first child murderer to be sent down at a televised hearing. Walker had little choice than to admit his guilt.

His merciless assault outside a fast food outlet, not far from the bus station, was captured, frame by chilling frame, on multiple CCTV cameras in London Road as he plunged the knife seven times into Jermaine's chest, abdomen and shoulder while the teenager lay defenceless on the pavement.

What the judge did not know is that Walker has also used the phone to communicate with gang associates on the outside, which continues to cause distress for Jermaine's family, especially his mother Lorraine.

One of these illicit conversations was saved on Snapchat, the popular messaging app.

The white patch on Walker’s forehead, visible in the picture, is a dressing for a wound he sustained during an altercation in Feltham

The white patch on Walker's forehead, visible in the picture, is a dressing for a wound he sustained during an altercation in Feltham

At one point, Walker is asked if he wanted to 'say something to everyone' [fellow gang members], a resident of Feltham, who did not wish to be identified, revealed.

Walker replies: 'Free me now. Free me. F****** free Tiny St.'

This was Walker's 'name' in the Shrublands gang, also known as S-Town, based on the notorious Shrublands council estate in Croydon, which has been involved in bloody tit-for-tat feuds with rivals.

Walker's voice was recorded by the friend he was speaking to and was then used on a drill video, the music genre blamed for fuelling many of these turf wars.

But the purpose of this two-minute film, Lorraine believes, which opens with a shot of the Shrublands Avenue street sign and a map of the estate saying 'Welcome to Shrublands', was to glorify the murder of her son — and taunt her.

Viewed more than 1,000 times on YouTube in the past fortnight, sinister figures in hoods, balaclavas, masks and gang colours can be seen roaming the area.

Jermaine's mother has seen the video and heard Walker's voice ('F****** free Tiny St') on it amid barely decipherable lyrics about 'blades'. The lyrics also mention 'tots', which Lorraine believes is a reference to the killer being prepared to knife children.

This is the sociopathic world, prevalent in almost every inner city in the country, which Marques Walker came from.

Jermaine Cools, 14, (pictured) was fatally wounded in London Road, West Croydon, on 18 November 2021

Jermaine Cools, 14, (pictured) was fatally wounded in London Road, West Croydon, on 18 November 2021

Lorraine Dudek from Croydon. Lorraine's son Jermaine Cools was fatally stabbed in 2021

Lorraine Dudek from Croydon. Lorraine's son Jermaine Cools was fatally stabbed in 2021

Lorraine has also seen another video, which refers to '3Tiny St' [Walker] . . . Really made man go out [killed him], His Marg [mum] upset . . .', accompanied by emojis of a skull and crying and then two tears of joy emojis.

This film culminates in a final sickening insult: '#STown done that. Now he touching clouds' [meaning 'he' is dead], with emojis of a cloud, skull and tears of joy.

Jermaine is the only youngster to have been killed in such circumstances in Croydon in 2021 so it is hard to believe this was not a reference to him.

The videos were made by Marques Walker's Shrublands gang.

They have been taken down by police and then inevitably resurface with altered lyrics or less obvious references to Jermaine and his poor family.

'They made me sick to my stomach, laughing, goading, seeking fame out of my son's murder,' said Lorraine, who refuses to be intimidated or stay silent when many in her position, understandably, might decide not to speak out.

Jermaine was an Arsenal fan, like his father Julius, who owns a Caribbean takeaway.

He also loved fashion, particularly trainers. More than ten pairs (including the Nike Air Jordan brand) are in his bedroom, which has remained untouched.

Police seized a knife in the investigation into the death of 14-year-old Jermaine Cools

Police seized a knife in the investigation into the death of 14-year-old Jermaine Cools 

Jermaine Cools was stabbed as he lay on the ground outside a chicken shop in Croydon

Jermaine Cools was stabbed as he lay on the ground outside a chicken shop in Croydon

There is a giant picture of Jermaine covering his bed. 'I couldn't bear to go into his bedroom without seeing him,' said Lorraine, 36, in a softly spoken voice, still numb with grief. But both she and Julius are haunted by the fact that their precious son should still be here, should still be on his PlayStation, still be going to the football with his dad.

Every parent who has lost a child must feel that way. But their agony has been compounded by shortcomings in the justice system which allowed Marques Walker to be in London Road, the main drag through Croydon, on the evening of November 18 2021, when Jermaine was walking with his much older brother on the opposite side of the street.

Many — not just Jermaine's family — believe Walker should never have been there in the first place.

Three times he had been caught with knives in two years. Three times he remained free to kill.

It would have been hard to find a more dangerous teenager on the streets of London than Walker when he saw Jermaine and his older brother.

Walker has also used the phone to communicate with gang associates on the outside, which continues to cause distress for the family of Jermaine (pictured) especially his mother Lorraine

Walker has also used the phone to communicate with gang associates on the outside, which continues to cause distress for the family of Jermaine (pictured) especially his mother Lorraine

A post-mortem examination found Jermaine had suffered seven stab wounds to his body, with the fatal wound to his chest piercing a lung. Pictured: The scene after the attack

A post-mortem examination found Jermaine had suffered seven stab wounds to his body, with the fatal wound to his chest piercing a lung. Pictured: The scene after the attack 

In January 2020, when he was just 15, Walker was found with a 10in commando knife in his rucksack at school. He was

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