Two men have been charged in connection with the murder of a carpenter stabbed to death yards from the private £6,000-a-term school where Prince George is due to start next week.
Malachi Brooks, 22, suffered a fatal knife wound to the heart just 250 yards from Thomas’s School in Battersea, south London.
Paramedics could not save the carpenter, who died at the scene on Surrey Lane in March this year.
Joel Preddie, 20, and Abdul Popatpotra, 26, have now been charged in connection with Malachi’s murder and will appear in court on Monday.
Malachi Brooks, 22, (pictured) suffered a fatal knife wound to the heart just 250 yards from Thomas’s School in Battersea in March this year
Emergency services arrived at the scene but paramedics were unable to save the young man
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘Detectives investigating the murder of Malachi Brooks have charged two men.
‘Joel Preddie, 20, of Mitcham, south London, was charged on Saturday with murder and arson.
‘Abdul Popatpotra, 26, of Tooting, south London, was charged on the same day with arson and perverting the course of justice.
‘They will both appear in custody at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Monday..’
A post-mortem revealed Mr Brooks died as a result of a stab wound to the heart.
A 21-year-old man arrested in April on suspicion of his murder was subsequently released and will face no further action.
At the time, Mr Brooks’ partner Rebecca Nowland, 24, said she was ‘devastated’ and ‘broken’.
She said: ‘He wasn’t just my boyfriend, he was my best friend, my rock. Words can’t describe how much I miss him already.
‘You didn’t deserve this, the most decent person I ever came across. I’ll never forget you and all the good times we shared together.’
Rebecca’s brother, Ben Nowland, 18, said: ‘There’s not one bad word I can say about him.
Prince George (pictured in December last year) is due to start at Thomas’s School next week
The incident happened just yards from Thomas’s School (pictured) where Prince George will start next week
Mr Brooks was stabbed just a couple of roads away from where George will attend school
‘Malachi was the coolest, funniest, most loving and outgoing person you could ever meet who always had time for others.
The incident happened just yards from Thomas’s where Prince George will enrol this month.
The youngster will be four years old when he starts at the £6,000-a-term school, which states that its most important rule is to ‘be kind’.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will send their son, George, to Thomas’s Battersea from September 2017 this year.
‘Their Royal Highnesses are delighted to have found a school where they are confident George will have a happy and successful start to his education.’
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