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London Bridge attack: Victim Jack Merritt had 'lust for life' London Bridge attack: Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt's families lead tributes
(about 2 hours later)
"A beautiful spirit who always took the side of the underdog." Tributes have been paid to two friends stabbed to death in Friday's terror attack at London Bridge.
That's how David Merritt described his 25-year-old son Jack, who was stabbed to death in an attack at London Bridge. Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, had been at a conference celebrating the five-year anniversary of the Learning Together prison programme when knifeman, 28-year-old Usman Khan, attacked them and three others.
A woman who died in the attack - declared by officers as a terrorist incident - has not yet been named. Like Mr Merritt, she was a former university student at Cambridge. He was shot dead by police minutes after he fatally wounded the University of Cambridge graduates.
Three others were injured. Saskia Jones
A law and criminology graduate, Mr Merritt was a course coordinator for the University of Cambridge's prison rehabilitation programme. "Saskia was a funny, kind, positive influence at the centre of many people's lives," the family of Ms Jones said in a statement.
The project, Learning Together, gives students and inmates the opportunity to study together, to help reduce re-offending - something Mr Merritt had a "deep commitment to", according to people who worked with him. "She had a wonderful sense of mischievous fun and was generous to the point of always wanting to see the best in all people," they added.
A vigil was held in Cambridge, where Mr Merritt was from, on Saturday. His friends, family and those who worked with him have been paying tribute. "She was intent on living life to the full and had a wonderful thirst for knowledge, enabling her to be the best she could be.
'Too good for this world' "Saskia had a great passion for providing invaluable support to victims of criminal injustice, which led her to the point of recently applying for the police graduate recruitment programme, wishing to specialise in victim support."
Emilee Hopper, who said she had been friends with Mr Merritt at school, described him as "one of the kindest people I've come across and a beautiful soul". Ms Jones had completed a Masters degree in criminology in 2018.
Daisy Knock said Mr Merritt was "too good for this world". Prof Loraine Gelsthorpe, director of the University of Cambridge's institute of criminology, said Ms Jones had a "determination to make an enduring and positive impact on society in everything she did".
"He worked for, and believed in something, that will one day change how we see the world," she added. "Saskia's warm disposition and extraordinary intellectual creativity was combined with a strong belief that people who have committed criminal offences should have opportunities for rehabilitation," she added.
Another friend said the University of Manchester and University of Cambridge graduate was "incredibly witty and intelligent, with more lust for life than many our age and a determination to make his mark in the world". Jack Merritt
Jack Merritt's family said he was a "friend and colleague" of Ms Jones.
"Our beautiful, talented boy, died doing what he loved, surrounded by people he loved and who loved him," a statement said.
"He lit up our lives and the lives of his many friends and colleagues, and we will miss him terribly.
"Jack lived his principles; he believed in redemption and rehabilitation, not revenge, and he always took the side of the underdog.
"Jack was an intelligent, thoughtful and empathetic person who was looking forward to building a future with his girlfriend, Leanne, and making a career helping people in the criminal justice system.
"We know Jack would not want this terrible, isolated incident to be used as a pretext by the government for introducing even more draconian sentences on prisoners, or for detaining people in prison for longer than necessary.
"Our thoughts go out to the relatives and friends of his friend and colleague who died with him in this incident, to the colleagues who were injured, and to his brilliant, supportive colleagues at the University of Cambridge Department of Criminology."
Mr Merritt had completed the same masters degree Ms Jones had, but a year earlier.
Prof Gelsthorpe said: "Jack's passion for social and criminal justice was infectious. He was deeply creative and courageously engaged with the world, advocating for a politics of love. He worked tirelessly in dark places to pull towards the light."
Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg interviewed Mr Merritt for the BBC in February, when he was working with Learning Together at HMP Warren Hill in Suffolk.
Mr Rozenberg described him as "a fine young man, dedicated to improving people's lives".
Rapper Dave said Mr Merritt was "the best guy" and the news of his death was "one of the most painful things".Rapper Dave said Mr Merritt was "the best guy" and the news of his death was "one of the most painful things".
Dave's Mercury Prize-winning album was inspired by rehabilitation therapy his brother Christopher Omoregie has received while serving a life sentence for murder.Dave's Mercury Prize-winning album was inspired by rehabilitation therapy his brother Christopher Omoregie has received while serving a life sentence for murder.
The Streatham-born rapper said Mr Merritt had "dedicated his life to helping others" and it was "genuinely an honour to have met someone like you".The Streatham-born rapper said Mr Merritt had "dedicated his life to helping others" and it was "genuinely an honour to have met someone like you".
Dave said he would "never ever forget" everything Mr Merritt had "done for us".
Ken and Dawn Marr used to babysit Mr Merritt in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, when he was younger.
Mrs Marr remembered him as "a bright boy who loved to read" and described his death as "just awful".
Cambridge University's vice-chancellor Professor Stephen J Toope said he had only met Mr Merritt one one occasion and was "impressed with his charm".
He said that the fact Mr Merritt was killed by someone he was trying to help "is the greatest tragedy of all".
"I have profound sadness for the family," he added.
Meanwhile members of the criminal justice community said they were "in deep shock" over Mr Merritt's death.
Prison Radio UK said praised the 25-year-old for his help with a podcast that explains the law to prison inmates.
"He was generous with his time and all too happy to help others. His life should inspire us all," the radio station said.
Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg interviewed Mr Merritt for the BBC in February, when he was working with Learning Together at HMP Warren Hill in Suffolk.
Mr Rozenberg described him as "a fine young man, dedicated to improving people's lives".
Tim Storrie, a barrister who also met Mr Merritt at Warren Hill, said he had "saved lives through his work".
"His open heartedness, his drive and his faith in the redemption of prisoners through education, shone out," he added.
Solicitor Audrey Ludwig said his "deep commitment to prisoner education and rehabilitation was deeply impressive".
"I send condolences to his family, colleagues and the prisoners' group," she added.