Mother warned murdered shop manager about knife dangers

The mother of a murdered Sloane Street store manager told him she feared for his safety amid London's knife crime epidemic only days before he was stabbed to death.

Andrew Pratt, 43, manager at fashion designer Emilio Pucci's store, was stabbed in the heart yards from his Camberwell home after wrestling with a street robber.

Today his brother Chris, 49, said their 75-year-old mother Yvonne Pratt was haunted by the warning she gave him at a family gathering.

Chris said: "Mum kept telling Andrew to look after himself - she was terrified after all the stuff she read in the papers about how violent the streets are. Andrew hugged her and said: 'You know I'm always careful and I know what I'm doing. If anyone tries to mug me for anything, they can have it. I'm safe, don't worry.'"

Mrs Pratt gave her son the warning when she came up to London from Norwich with Chris and his young family to meet Mr Pratt and some of his colleagues at a Thai food festival in Battersea Park on Sunday 27 July.

The following Saturday night her youngest son was found collapsed and bleeding outside his front door in Northlands Street. Police believe Mr Pratt, who was on first name terms with his regular customers Kylie Minogue and Victoria Beckham, fought a hooded man who tried to wrench his Gucci manbag from his shoulder.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Andy Craig said: "It looks like a robbery gone wrong. Mr Pratt's bag had a strap and we believe he resisted when the assailant tried to yank it from his shoulder."

The attacker knifed Mr Pratt once before calmly walking away, according to witnesses. Paramedics treated him at the scene before taking him to hospital but doctors were unable to save him.

The Gucci bag, still containing his mobile phone and wallet, was found by officers close by.

Chris said: "We don't know why Andrew wouldn't give up the bag. Maybe he told mum he wouldn't fight to put her mind at rest.

"He wasn't materialistic but he was probably furious someone tried to snatch something when he was almost home. In the situation you never know how you'll react."

Mr Pratt's four elder brothers and their families have travelled from across Britain to comfort their widowed-mother at her Norwich home. "She knows Andrew had a very full life - he had so many friends and people had a lot of respect for his work ethic," Chris said

"We were all talking about going on an autumn family holiday when we last saw each other. Andrew loved southeast Asia and planned to work hard through the summer so he could have a few weeks off."

Mr Pratt was appointed store manager two months ago after working as the assistant manager for several years. A spokesman for Emilio Pucci said everyone in the company was "deeply saddened" to lose such a well liked colleague.