Completely cut... don't believe it!

[Sepheh]

So I was out tonight at a concert while I am here in Australia and I couldnt find anyone to go with.. So I go on my own because I love the band who I was going to see... End up texting my friend back home in England, who replies with a deeply shocking, cutting, but short message. "You hear joe died?"

My mind blank... was she joking, what... anyway upon further information my friend Joe who I met a year and half ago just through work to start with was last tuesday beaten to death.

Read more here:

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/search/display.var.714876.0.murder_stop_press.php

Dont know if its already been posted... but i seriously had no desire to use the search function after hearing this news...

I would like everyone to raise their glasses to Joe.. one of the most genuine guys I have ever met, always kind and willing to help out. Always there for you to talk, always up for a joke... To Joe... Rest in peace my friend.

 

[Sepheh]

Awful news I know he was a regular in spoons

To me he was more, he was a good friend...

Thanks to all you guys messages... im just in such a state of shock, and being so far away from where he is right now (im in Australia) its hard to do anything.

When I get home which unfortunately isnt going to be for a while I intend on trying to do something for his family... Though the only family I know of his is his elderly Uncle who he cared for!

 

[Sepheh]

Epsom isn't exactly the Bronx.

Sorry to hear about your friend Sepheh

Yeah its not... but thats 4 murders in 3 months I have just been informed.. It makes me sick.. Epsom is supposedly a respectable area

 

[Sepheh]

After sleeping on the matter I am still shocked and saddened and am in a state of total disbelief of whats happened. All my work colleagues today immediately knew something was wrong when I walked in and we all toasted to him today... Although none of them knew him (because obviously im in Australia now) they agreed with me I should do something for him, and when I get home I plan on I dont know dedicating something to him! Any suggestions on what would be nice and thoughtful?

 

[Sepheh]

Did he have any strong interests or hobbies?

He kept to himself about stuff like that a fair bit but I know he was strong with his family and looked after them, so between that his work and his social life its hard to say. I personally think having something in the pub I worked at for him would be really nice, but I dont know how the owners would feel about that!

Syk3, where abouts do you live? I actually live in woodmansterne. And as for the news not only is it saddening but truley shocking, my faith in humanity is chipped away everyday!

 

[Sepheh]

I guess you could dedicate a bench in park or a plaque in a pub to him. I think the gesture will mean a lot to the people who knew him.

A park bench is a brilliant idea, especially considering where it happened was very close to the local park. When I get home which is unfortunately not for a few months at least I will do the research into it and a whip round at the pub... Normally like if it was an illness he died of I could do something to raise money for a charity relating to it, but I just dont know of any charities of 'Your family member or friend was beaten to death by a bunch of low life pricks'. *shrugs*

 

[Sepheh]

In Cheam / Sutton mate. I think a park bench or something is a nice idea. Did he go to the pub or anything? What interests..or what was he most involved in?

I met him through where I worked which was Epsom Wetherspoons, he was a regular there. If I was to tell the story it wouldnt seem entirely interesting, but when I first started working there I was appauling at my job. He was the only customer with any patience or anything nice to say to me. When it was quiet he would always come up to me and have a chat. On my breaks we would always talk, and basically this friendship started through work. I saw him pretty much every day for the last 14 months just before I left to come to Australia. He was in the pub everyday but not an alcoholic... on fridays and saturdays he would drink coronas, during the week j2o's. He would meet his family there (the wetherspoons in epsom is a good place to meet anyone) they would have a few drinks non-alcoholic or not, he would pay every time, and they would leave and do what they did in the evenings. He always put his family and friends infront of himself and looked out for everyone. He was the kind of person who knew everyone and whenever there was any trouble would be the first person to defend the victim, wether he liked them or not. He was very talkative but liked talking about others and rarely talked about his own social life. From what I understand he was a lawyer or involved in law, but wished to keep that under his hat, which is respectable. He was very proud of his family and talked about them a lot, and talked about his nights out. He talked about current and general affairs. When it came to talking about himself he was shy and not wanting to talk about it, he was more interested in talking about others... Which was typical of him, he was such a selfless and genuine guy,which is why I am soo shocked and upset by this, and don't even know what I could do for him... I know he would want something done for his uncle and cousin (his two closest family members) but I can't think of anything to do for them that has any reflection on joe!

 

[Sepheh]

Possibly talk to the manager of the local Wetherspoons? Maybe dedicate something to him, a meal..a drink.. a sign. anything. Still, id definately get the Bench.. something for friends and family to remember him by.

Agreed. When I get home I will talk to my managers, being management there to (though only a shift manager ) I would hope my opinion would be of enough value to be able to dedicate something. However the managers there just dont care! very much the same as most other Wetherspoons!

 

[Sepheh]

I have a horrible feeling it was probably a racial attack.

Its a possibility, I believe that it was either just drunken idiots, or possibly because he is a something to do with the law that there are well, people out there who wont like the law.


And to Zip... Wetherspoons is the McDonalds of the pub world to put it short... just cheap beer, no music, no televisions, full of advertisements, designed to get customers in and out... a lot of the people drinking in there are scum or students... Sadly Joe was neither of these.

 

[Sepheh]

Aie, I was told about this the other day too (worked at the same pub, also knew joe) he was a top bloke.

A little update, apparently an 18 year old male has been arrested in connection with this. Hopefully if they've got the right guy then he will be convicted and sent away to rot.

Can only hope so really, its even worse that its someone so young doing something so horrible... but they do deserve everything they get!