'Growing safety concerns' at Notting Hill Carnival must be addressed, says murder victim's relative

The foster sister of a woman who was fatally stabbed at the Notting Hill Carnival has called for "growing safety concerns" about the "iconic event" to be addressed.

Speaking outside the Old Bailey shortly after a man was convicted of murdering Cher Maximen, Tanya Jacobs said the annual event in west London deserves "protection support". Ms Maximen, 32, was attending the carnival's family day on 25 August last year when she was stabbed in the groin.

She died in hospital on 31 August. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, 20-year-old Shakeil Thibou was found guilty of her murder.

On Notting Hill Carnival, Ms Jacobs said: "We must address growing safety concerns and engage in solution-focussed conversations about its evolution. "This iconic event deserves protection support by prioritising public safety through collaborative planning and innovative strategies, we can honour and safeguard the joy and inclusivity the carnival represents." Ms Jacobs said the loss of Ms Maximen, who was stabbed in front of her daughter, had caused "immeasurable sadness".

She described her foster sister as "pure magic... radiant, loving, passionate and kind".

"Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways," Ms Jacobs said. She added the "senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom".

Read more:Daughter's 'painful' last memory of murdered mother Ms Jacobs also spoke about knife crime, which she said "continues to devastate communities across the UK". She added: "The government must urgently address the root causes, the systematic failings in education, children's services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people, offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them.

"This is not just about reducing crime, it's about saving lives. Restoring hope and building [the] safest and stronger communities." There were eight stabbings reported across last year's Notting Hill Carnival.

They followed the 10 reported in 2023 and the seven recorded in 2022, according to a Freedom of Information request. Notting Hill Carnival, which began in the 1960s, is one of the longest-running street parties in the UK.

The two-day event is free to all and culminates in a large parade on the Monday, filled with vividly costumed performers, music and dancing..