Shocked community pays tribute to stabbed brother of EastEnders

Shocked community pays tribute to stabbed brother of EastEnders star

nlnews@archant.co.uk
30 June 2008

Ben Kinsella

HUNDREDS of tributes have poured in after the teenage brother of an ex-EastEnders star was stabbed to death in Holloway.

Ben Kinsella, 16, the younger brother of actress Brooke Kinsella, 24, died after being knifed in York Way shortly after 2am on Sunday.

Police are now investigating whether Ben was involved in an argument with a group of men in the street after he came out of Shillibeers pub that night.

After the assault, Ben was taken to The Whittington Hospital in Magdala Avenue, Archway - but could not be saved.

The killing comes on the anniversary of the fatal stabbing of another Islington teenager, 14-year-old Martin Dinnegan, who was knifed to death in Holloway on June 26 last year.

Ben, who lived with his family in Lonsdale Square, Islington, had just finished his GCSEs at Holloway School.

He excelled at art and was good at sport - playing in the Islington Gazette cup final at the Emirates Stadium last year, in which his team lost to St Aloysius' College.

Less than 12 hours before his death, he also spoke out against the imminent closure of Woolworths in Chapel Market, Islington. Writing on the social networking site Facebook, he said: "Woolworths was the place I stole my first handful of sweets, the place that sold me my first pack of pokemon cards... thats just history man you cant just throw it away like this woolies is my second home... :(."

Brooke, who played Kelly Taylor in EastEnders, broke down as she visited the scene near the junction with North Road with parents Debbie and George, a cab driver.

Brooke's boyfriend Ray Panthaki, a fellow ex-EastEnder who played Ronny Ferreira, was also there.

Brooke, who is due to make a statement today, has been left devastated - and is pulling out of a production of Torn at the Arcola Theatre in Hackney.

Meanwhile a makeshift shrine with dozens of flowers, pictures and tributes has sprung up at the scene.

Actress Linda Robson, who played Tracey in BBC sitcom in Birds of a Feather and lives off Essex Road, has visited. Actor Joe Swash - Mickey Miller in EastEnders - has also been to pay tribute.

Messages left at the scene include one from the "Barnard Girls", which said: "You will never be forgotten. Forever in our thoughts and always in our hearts. We miss you already Ben. There was never a dull moment when you were around. You will always keep a smile on our faces. We love you Ben. Kinsella will live on forever."

Another from his cousins said: "Our beautiful Ben. How you will be missed by all who knew and loved you. Another shattering loss to society. God bless and keep you darling. When will this ever end?"

Tributes have also been left on websites such as Facebook. One Facebook group, called RIP Ben Kinsella, already has almost 200 members.

A message from a woman called Rebecca Fraser reads: "Ben!! What can I say, I'm in shock, you were such an amazing person with everything in the world going for you. You will be missed by many. Love to all your family, Miss Fraser x.

Islington Gazette - Shocked community pays tribute to stabbed brother of EastEnders star