Station victim named

The man stabbed to death on a railway platform was identified today as police revealed he was attacked on his way to catch the last train home.

The victim was named as Jim Coffey, 52, a builder from Ireland who has lived in London for a number of years.

He had been visiting friends in Walthamstow and was attacked as he waited on the platform for the London-bound train.

Detectives believe he may have lain injured and unable to move for some time before being found by two 16-year-olds in the foyer of Wood Street BR station in Walthamstow.

Detectives are being hampered in the hunt for the killer because CCTV at the station was not working. Police had hoped the system covering most of the station would provide a breakthrough. But none of the cameras was working.

Detectives believe Mr Coffey was robbed because he had no wallet, phone or identification. He managed to tell paramedics his name was John and that he had been mugged.

At first, police believed he had been travelling home after spending Sunday night in central London. The last train from London had left shortly before he was found by two 16-year-old girls in the station foyer. However, today it emerged that he was attacked while standing on the Londonbound platform.

A post-mortem examination yesterday found that he bled to death from a wound to the stomach.

Train company "one", responsible for CCTV at Wood Street, said it had launched an inquiry into why the system was not working.

In a statement it said: "We will be reviewing all our procedures for the maintenance of such systems at all the stations across the network where we operate."

Detectives are said to be very disappointed. One source close to the inquiry said: "We are supposed to be all working for a safer London and here there was the potential for a massive breakthrough in solving this case yet not one of the cameras was working. It is incredible."

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 020 8345 1585 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.