Damilola: three arrested

Detectives hunting the killers of Damilola Taylor seized three suspects today.

In a dramatic development the three - including two teenagers - were arrested and brought to south London police stations for questioning.

All three were held and interviewed by police during the original investigation into the murder of the 10-year-old four years ago but none were ever charged with his killing.

Damilola bled to death on a stairwell on the North Peckham estate after being stabbed with a broken bottle as he walked home from school in November 2000.

The case shocked the nation and Scotland Yard launched an unprecedented operation to catch the killers.

Four boys aged between 14 and 17 were charged with the murder but the case collapsed at the Old Bailey amid huge controversy. Today's arrests follow major developments in a new investigation into the murder led by Detective Chief Inspector Nick Ephgrave.

The move is expected to lead to charges within 48 hours.

The arrests came after police carried out a series of raids at addresses in south London in October. These followed what is believed to be a significant breakthrough in the inquiry which centred on using DNA forensics to examine evidence gathered from the crime scene.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bill Griffiths of the Met's Specialist Crime Directorate said: "These developments are the result of a determined effort to establish what happened on that day. I pay tribute to Mr and Mrs Taylor for their patience throughout this investigation."

The arrests will be a boost to Sir John Stevens on the eve of his retirement as Met Commissioner. He has made clear his ambition to see Damilola's killers brought to justice before he leaves. He revealed last year that his biggest regret was the failure to convict-anyone for the murder. The original Old Bailey case collapsed against the four boys after evidence from the prosecution's star witness was rejected by the judge.

The judge threw out the evidence of a 14-year-old key witness - known as "Bromley" - ruling it was unreliable.

Defence barristers said Bromley had only claimed to have witnessed the murder because of a £50,000 reward offered by a newspaper.

During the trial, Bromley claimed she had been hiding behind a car at the murder scene on November 27, 2000.

But without Bromley's evidence the case crumbled and two of the boys, who are brothers, were found not guilty of murder. The other two were cleared. Despite major resources the investigation faced severe difficulties with little forensic evidence and a conspiracy of silence on the estate.

At first the only real clue was a description of three youths running from the scene.

The first arrests came within a week when three teenagers, aged 12 and 13, were held but later released. Later another 11 arrests were made - the youngest held was aged just 12 - they were allegedly part of a local gang.

Scotland Yard said today: "Three individuals were taken into custody for questioning in relation to the murder of Damilola Taylor."