A floral tribute to burglar Henry Vincent has been pulled down for the third time as tensions over the issue continue to grow.
A shrine for the 37-year-old was erected by friends and family outside of the home of Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, who fatally stabbed Vincent after he broke into his south-east London home on April 4.
Grieving family members and supporters of the pensioner have clashed over the shrine, which has seen balloons, flowers and cards twice torn down by residents before being replaced.
Elvina Lee, a relative of Vincent, described those who tore down the tributes as ‘scum’. She told The Metro: “This is the best place for these flowers to be. I don’t know what’s wrong with these people… I think they’re scum.”
While supporters of Osborn-Brooks, however, have labeled the tribute an ‘insult’ the pensioner, other relatives of Vincent have vowed to remove the tributes if they are respected.
“If people leave the flowers alone within a week they’ll die, we will come here, clean this road, and go and never come back,” another relative said.
Despite his arrest on suspicion of murder, it was revealed this week that Osborn-Brooks will face no charge over Vincent’s death.
