Hackney: Met Police following new leads Karl Hamilton murder

Camden woman Kim Williams, whose son Karl Hamilton was murdered in 2004, said she hoped his killers might finally face justice after what she believes was a bodged police investigation marred by racism.

Murder detectives have received fresh intelligence about Karl’s death, but are staying tight-lipped about what it is.  

Kim said the family hoped to get answers before Karl’s grandmother, recently diagnosed as terminally ill, passes away.

“My mum’s only wish, when we got this news, was ‘Oh, please. It’s like God’s answered my prayers. Please, we might get justice before I close my eyes’,” said Kim.

Karl was stabbed nine times in an attack by multiple assailants on Saturday, January 10, 2004, during a night out with friends in Hackney.

Several people have been charged and faced trial in the past, said Kim, but the cases collapsed and it was alleged that key evidence had been destroyed.

Kim said police have given her no details about their new investigation.

“Unfortunately, due to the sensitivities of some lines of enquiry and our commitment to protecting the integrity of our investigation, we are not always able to provide updates as regularly as we, or Karl’s family, would like,” said Acting Detective Inspector Paul Davis.

Kim said Karl was an innocent party who had the misfortune of being present when one of his friends was confronted in Hackney over an alleged drugs debt (Image: Kim Williams)

Innocent

Karl was living with his grandmother in Bethnal Green at the time of his death.

They worked together at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.

Karl had taken a job as an NHS catering assistant while he studied to become an electrician.

On January 10, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One of the friends he was with supposedly owed £15 to a cannabis dealer.

A dispute erupted in the street between that friend and some other men over the small drug debt, and Karl ended up with nine stab wounds.

He was rushed to the Royal London, but his colleagues could not save him.

“He was born there, he worked there and he took his last breath there,” said Kim, who lives in Camden Town.

Karl Hamilton's NHS ID badge photo, taken not long before he died. He worked at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel (Image: Kim Williams)

Racism?

She has long believed the investigation into her son’s death was marred by racism.

Early on, she claimed, officers expressed pleasant surprise that Karl had never been in trouble with the police.

“That shocked me,” she said. “I thought, why should he have been in trouble? Because of the colour of his skin?”

Kim alleged that despite Karl’s friends leading officers to some of the attackers’ addresses immediately after the attack, police waited days before raiding them.

In the meantime, she said, a witness would later testify that one suspect had destroyed their bloody clothes.

“That’s on court record,” she said. “They were burnt on the Sunday after the incident.

“I do believe it’s race. I know in my heart of hearts, if Karl or one of his friends was accused of a robbery or whatever, they would have been kicking off our doors. They wouldn’t wait days.”

Karl didn't like having his photo taken, said Kim, so she treasures the few family snaps she has (Image: Kim Williams)

Denial

“I strongly refute any suggestion that Karl’s race has in any way been a factor in the police investigation,” said Acting DI Davis.

“This case has been investigated with care, dedication and vigour. That was the case at the time and continues to be true to this day.”

Acting DI Davis said that after Karl’s 2004 stabbing, “We immediately launched an investigation and over the years we have carried out numerous enquiries that led to 13 males being arrested.

“In turn, three were charged and subsequently acquitted in court in 2004. A fourth male was acquitted at court in 2007.”

Kim’s discontent with the police continues today.

She said she found out about the new leads through a third party.

Kim said she believed the investigation into her mixed-race son Karl's murder had been marred by racism (Image: Kim Williams)

Only after visiting a police station to ask whether it was true did a detective call and admit that there was new intelligence in the case.

“No one had informed me,” said Kim. “If that other person hadn’t informed me, I would still be none the wiser.”

Acting DI Davis added: “Throughout the course of the investigation we have updated Karl’s family with our progress, with the most recent contact being on September 4, 2023.

“We will always work to share significant developments in an investigation with family members at an appropriate time.”