Teenager Dies After Brawl At Dean Gardens

Forensic investigation sees Uxbridge Road close

A teenager has died in hospital after he was attacked in a park.

The victim, thought to be 19, was found seriously injured in Dean Gardens, West Ealing, early on Saturday morning and died later in hospital.

Scotland Yard said he had been attacked with a "blunt instrument" and a murder inquiry has been launched.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police were called at approximately 1.18 today to reports of a male injured in Dean Gardens, West Ealing, W13.

"Police and London Ambulance attended and found a male, believed to be 19 years old, suffering from a head injury. He was taken to a west London hospital where his life was pronounced extinct at 1.57am."

He and a friend are believed to have become involved in a dispute after they got off a bus on their way home from a night out.

The police spokesman added: “At this early stage we believe the victim had been socialising in the Ealing area and was making his way home when he and a friend got into a dispute after exiting a bus on Heathfield Avenue, close to where the man was found.

“We have no further details of the incident at this early stage. We are keeping an open mind around the motive for the attack.”

Teams of forensic officers in blue boiler suits were searching the park, off Uxbridge Road, until early this afternoon. They were seen picking their way carefully through the grass and examining a spot on the path near the children's playground.

Local residents told press the park has become a hive for local gangs in recent years.

Paul Jones, 39, a painter and decorator, said five years ago the park was safe for children, but had become a no-go area.

He said: "It's a rough park at night-time, with lots of people drinking in there. There's always people arguing. You can't go in there with your kids any more."

January 26, 2008