Sad to say, attacks on homeless people are common, but the attacks which led to the life imprisonment of Kenneth Smith last week were the worst we have known in our almost 30 years of caring for homeless people in Croydon.
It is difficult to describe the fear which was present in Queen's Gardens in the days following the attacks last September.
The homeless are already vulnerable to all kinds of abuse and attack, the thought that a killer was targeting them was truly terrifying.
It was therefore a great relief when police apprehended Kenneth Smith within days of the attacks.
The police deserve our thanks for their speed and efficiency, and also for the considerate and professional way they carried out enquiries with the homeless community in Croydon, eventually leading to the killer's conviction at the Old Bailey.
Jad Adams
Chairman of Nightwatch
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