EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella calls for criminals to do national service following stabbing of brother Ben Kinsella | The Sun |HomePage|News|Sun Justice
By SARA NATHANand SHARON HENDRYPublished: 04 Jul 2008EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella calls for criminals to do national service following stabbing of brother Ben Kinsella | The Sun |HomePage|News|Sun Justice
DISTRAUGHT Brooke Kinsella today steps up her call for all violent young criminals to be conscripted into National Service.The devastated former EastEnders star is still reeling from the news that her 16-year-old brother Ben was stabbed to death in the early hours of Sunday.And in a heartfelt interview with The Sun, she lashed out at the Government – and insisted all violent young offenders must be sent into the Army and forced to serve our country.Brooke said: “I want politicians to consider bringing back National Service. If these evil people want to fight so badly, let them fight for their country. If they want to pick up a weapon, let them fight for a good cause.“We’re losing hundreds of innocent boys in Iraq and Afghanistan, so we may as well send these criminals overseas to fight. The only way to stop this is to do something extreme.”Petite Brooke, 24, is also begging the nation to unite against knife crime behind a symbol of hope – a stylised letter “K” designed by her brother.Badge ... Ben's 'K' logoBadge ... Ben's 'K' logoShow your support for Brooke's anti-weapons crusade by downloading our free wallpaper, based on her brother Ben's design.Click one of the links below and once the page loads, right-click on the image and select the 'save as background' option.640x480 800x600 1024x768 1600x1200 You can also show your backing for the Kinsella family’s campaign by sending off for a free badge bearing Ben’s “K” logo. Send a stamped addressed envelope to: Ben’s Knife Campaign, The Sun, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1SN. Delivery may take up to 28 days.She said: “I hope everybody will wear it to remember Ben and show support for the fight against street crime.”Clutching a tissue to stem her tears, Brooke went on to lash out at our failing criminal justice system.Wars“I want to see proper prisons brought back,” she said. “It’s like a badge of honour for kids to be put in prisons these days. Inside, they gain more respect and make contacts which they use to become even harder criminals when they’re released. They’re in for a couple of years and when they come out they’re treated like heroes.”Campaign ... Brooke Kinsella talks to The SunCampaign ... Brooke Kinsella talks to The SunBrooke is London born and bred and still lives in the Islington family home where she grew up. The house is yards from Market Estate in the North London borough where Ben was knifed.Brooke said: “I grew up on Market Estate and I’ve always felt safe around here – the worst I worried about was being mugged. But I can’t understand why all these murders are happening.“It’s all gang wars now, people are coming into different areas to fight over postcodes. I just don’t understand why the Government isn’t doing anything.”Brooke, who is still struggling to come to terms with her loss, added: “I really, really think that Ben was here to change this world. And that’s why I’m going to fight this monster which has taken over our society. I just want something to stop this happening to someone else – a law, or stronger punishments. I will try to find the answer.“I don’t know if I feel angry at whoever killed Ben – I just feel so sad.“At the moment I can’t bring myself to forgive what they’ve done to my family and Mum and Dad. It’s six lives that have been taken.”Murdered ... Ben KinsellaMurdered ... Ben KinsellaBrooke revealed that she went to the morgue on Tuesday to see Ben one last time, and added: “He was still beautiful – even if he did look like he had the hump, which was so like him!”Ben’s pals are desperate to raise funds for the Ben Kinsella Foundation, which the youngster’s family are setting up to honour their son.Brooke said: “Ben’s friends want to do a concert for him and I think that would be a good idea. I’ll try to sort it out when I feel a bit stronger.”Speaking about the last time she saw her brother alive, she said: “It’s weird because I had never been to see Ben at the internet cafe where he worked, but I was walking down the market and I thought ‘I’ll just pop in to see him’.“He made me go and get him a McDonald’s, which I did, and we had a chat for about 20 minutes. That was the last time I saw him.“He was teasing me about some stuff I had bought for my new home – I was meant to be moving on Saturday.”When asked gently about her memories of her baby brother, Brooke sobbed: “Ben was the only boy in the house – he had three sisters and he was more like a girl. He loved cooking and art – I burn toast, but he was a brilliant cook.“He was best friends with my youngest sister, they were inseparable. And he was so good-looking, he even won a bonny baby competition.Artist ... Ben Kinsella's stylish tagArtist ... Ben Kinsella's stylish tag“All the girls loved him. What made me smile is that at least five girls have called me up and said that Ben was their boyfriend.”The most poignant moment of this horrific week for the Kinsella family came when Brooke went to the spot near her home where Ben was killed.She said: “One of Ben’s friends called me and asked if I wanted to go. They didn’t push me to, but I wanted to.Candles“When we got there, I couldn’t believe all the flowers and the people just standing there, holding vigil.“Ben would have been amazed – he’d be going, ‘Wow, I’m popular.’“It was really important to me to go down there . . . the other night I went and sat among the candles for about an hour, just by myself.”Brooke’s actor boyfriend Ray Panthaki, who played Ronny Ferreira in EastEnders, has been by her side constantly since the tragedy.Advertisement“Ray has been amazing,” she said. “He was like a brother to Ben and he’s just devastated. He lost a brother too.”As for the future, Brooke admitted: “I don’t know how we move on, I guess we will.“I’ve read all about the other families who lost loved ones to knife and gun crime and my heart always went out to them.“I just can’t imagine Ben will leave our house, I imagine he’ll always be around the fridge and playing games like Guitar Hero. He’ll never leave us.”s.nathan@the-sun.co.uk#Brooke will be joining Cherie Blair for a live debate at 7pm on C4 this Sunday to discuss ways of tackling teenage violence.
DISTRAUGHT Brooke Kinsella today steps up her call for all violent young criminals to be conscripted into National Service.
The devastated former EastEnders star is still reeling from the news that her 16-year-old brother Ben was stabbed to death in the early hours of Sunday.
And in a heartfelt interview with The Sun, she lashed out at the Government – and insisted all violent young offenders must be sent into the Army and forced to serve our country.
Brooke said: “I want politicians to consider bringing back National Service. If these evil people want to fight so badly, let them fight for their country. If they want to pick up a weapon, let them fight for a good cause.
“We’re losing hundreds of innocent boys in Iraq and Afghanistan, so we may as well send these criminals overseas to fight. The only way to stop this is to do something extreme.”
Petite Brooke, 24, is also begging the nation to unite against knife crime behind a symbol of hope – a stylised letter “K” designed by her brother.
Badge ... Ben's 'K' logo
Show your support for Brooke's anti-weapons crusade by downloading our free wallpaper, based on her brother Ben's design.
Click one of the links below and once the page loads, right-click on the image and select the 'save as background' option.
640x480 800x600 1024x768 1600x1200
You can also show your backing for the Kinsella family’s campaign by sending off for a free badge bearing Ben’s “K” logo. Send a stamped addressed envelope to: Ben’s Knife Campaign, The Sun, 1 Virginia St, London E98 1SN. Delivery may take up to 28 days.
She said: “I hope everybody will wear it to remember Ben and show support for the fight against street crime.”
Clutching a tissue to stem her tears, Brooke went on to lash out at our failing criminal justice system.
Wars
“I want to see proper prisons brought back,” she said. “It’s like a badge of honour for kids to be put in prisons these days. Inside, they gain more respect and make contacts which they use to become even harder criminals when they’re released. They’re in for a couple of years and when they come out they’re treated like heroes.”
Campaign ... Brooke Kinsella talks to The Sun
Brooke is London born and bred and still lives in the Islington family home where she grew up. The house is yards from Market Estate in the North London borough where Ben was knifed.
Brooke said: “I grew up on Market Estate and I’ve always felt safe around here – the worst I worried about was being mugged. But I can’t understand why all these murders are happening.
“It’s all gang wars now, people are coming into different areas to fight over postcodes. I just don’t understand why the Government isn’t doing anything.”
Brooke, who is still struggling to come to terms with her loss, added: “I really, really think that Ben was here to change this world. And that’s why I’m going to fight this monster which has taken over our society. I just want something to stop this happening to someone else – a law, or stronger punishments. I will try to find the answer.
“I don’t know if I feel angry at whoever killed Ben – I just feel so sad.
“At the moment I can’t bring myself to forgive what they’ve done to my family and Mum and Dad. It’s six lives that have been taken.”
Murdered ... Ben Kinsella
Brooke revealed that she went to the morgue on Tuesday to see Ben one last time, and added: “He was still beautiful – even if he did look like he had the hump, which was so like him!”
Ben’s pals are desperate to raise funds for the Ben Kinsella Foundation, which the youngster’s family are setting up to honour their son.
Brooke said: “Ben’s friends want to do a concert for him and I think that would be a good idea. I’ll try to sort it out when I feel a bit stronger.”
Speaking about the last time she saw her brother alive, she said: “It’s weird because I had never been to see Ben at the internet cafe where he worked, but I was walking down the market and I thought ‘I’ll just pop in to see him’.
“He made me go and get him a McDonald’s, which I did, and we had a chat for about 20 minutes. That was the last time I saw him.
“He was teasing me about some stuff I had bought for my new home – I was meant to be moving on Saturday.”
When asked gently about her memories of her baby brother, Brooke sobbed: “Ben was the only boy in the house – he had three sisters and he was more like a girl. He loved cooking and art – I burn toast, but he was a brilliant cook.
“He was best friends with my youngest sister, they were inseparable. And he was so good-looking, he even won a bonny baby competition.
Artist ... Ben Kinsella's stylish tag
“All the girls loved him. What made me smile is that at least five girls have called me up and said that Ben was their boyfriend.”
The most poignant moment of this horrific week for the Kinsella family came when Brooke went to the spot near her home where Ben was killed.
She said: “One of Ben’s friends called me and asked if I wanted to go. They didn’t push me to, but I wanted to.
Candles
“When we got there, I couldn’t believe all the flowers and the people just standing there, holding vigil.
“Ben would have been amazed – he’d be going, ‘Wow, I’m popular.’
“It was really important to me to go down there . . . the other night I went and sat among the candles for about an hour, just by myself.”
Brooke’s actor boyfriend Ray Panthaki, who played Ronny Ferreira in EastEnders, has been by her side constantly since the tragedy.
“Ray has been amazing,” she said. “He was like a brother to Ben and he’s just devastated. He lost a brother too.”
As for the future, Brooke admitted: “I don’t know how we move on, I guess we will.
“I’ve read all about the other families who lost loved ones to knife and gun crime and my heart always went out to them.
“I just can’t imagine Ben will leave our house, I imagine he’ll always be around the fridge and playing games like Guitar Hero. He’ll never leave us.”
Brooke will be joining Cherie Blair for a live debate at 7pm on C4 this Sunday to discuss ways of tackling teenage violence.
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