Two teenagers were found guilty on Wednesday of killing 10-year-old Damilola Taylor, after an exhausting six-year investigation finally ended with justice for his family.

The nation watched with horror as legal and forensic blunders hindered the investigation for more than half of the past decade.

Brothers Danny Preddie, 18, and Ricky Preddie, 19, both from Peckham, south London, were convicted of the manslaughter of the boy, originally from Nigeria, who died after being stabbed in the leg with a broken bottle.

Rev N J Sterling, Chair of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA) Trustee Board, said, “At long last the process of closure can be brought to bear to this protracted and very sad event. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr & Mrs Taylor for their bravery and courageous endurance during what must have been an extremely stressful period. It must have felt like one long night that would not end.