| Hateland -
Articles |
02/07/00 - Nailbomb victim
told brother he was 'happiest he'd ever been'
Sunday Mercury
A VICTIM of evil nailbomber David Copeland was 'the
happiest he had ever been' at the time he was murdered,
his grieving Midland-based brother said last night.
John Light, 32, had just landed his dream job of managing
his own leisure centre, Mike Light told the Sunday Mercury.
The 43-year-old of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, said
his younger brother was overjoyed at being asked to
be godfather to close friend Andrea Dykes' expected
child.
Pregnant Mrs Dykes and another friend Nik Moore were
also killed in the Admiral Duncan gay pub, in Soho,
London, after self-confessed Nazi Copeland planted a
nail bomb in April last year.
On Friday, Copeland was jailed for life for the three
murders and his bombing campaign which targeted major
ethnic areas.
Yesterday Mr Light's brother said he felt 'nothing'
towards Copeland.
He added: 'I spoke to John not long before he died
and he was really buzzing. He said he was loving life
and was as happy as he thought he could be.
'The night he was murdered he had just bought tickets
for the Abba musical as a thank you gift to the Dykes
for the godfather invitation.
'They stopped at the Duncan for a quick drink before going
on to the theatre when the bomb went off.'
'But that gesture was typical of John. Nothing was
ever too much trouble for him and he was generous to
a fault.'
Mr Light, a health and safety officer, recalled the
night of the bomb blast which also injured John's gay
partner Gary Partridge.
The couple lived in Colchester where John used to be
assistant manager at the Gala Leisure Centre before
being made manager of the Wokingham store in January
last year.
Mr Light said: 'My wife Nicky and I saw the news coverage
of the bomb on the TV as events were unfolding.
'We both knew John regularly went out in London and
Nicky just remarked that she hoped he wasn't in that
pub.
'It was in the early hours of the morning when my father
called me to break the news that John was in hospital
because he'd been injured in the blast.
'We drove down immediately and were there when John
died in hospital shortly after.'
Attending Copeland's trial was an 'anxious and agonising'
time but Mr Light said his conviction marked a new chapter
in his family's life.
He said: 'I only attended court because I wanted to
be a representative for John and see justice being done.
'I can't say I feel anything towards Copeland. He has
wrecked so many lives. The sentence was just and we
can now try to get on with our lives.
'But things will never be the same without John.' |
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
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