Karl murder: eight held after raids

Eight people were seized by police in dawn raids today in connection with the murder of teenager Karl Hamilton.

About 50 officers took part in the raids on eight addresses in east London. Those arrested were aged between 16 and 22 and were known to each other. They are being questioned by detectives.

Karl, 17, from Bethnal Green, was stabbed to death in Hackney Road on 10 January when he was confronted by up to 15 Asian youths as he walked home after playing snooker with friends.

Karl's mother recently told of her grief at losing a third son. Kim Williams, 41, lost Gordon in a house fire in 1991, and her first child was the victim of a cot death when he was only a few months old.

She said Karl, a hospital catering assistant, had been a "credit" to her. "He was so helpful, he would do anything for anybody - nothing was too much for him," she said. "He was a very caring boy well liked in the community. I will never come to terms with this."