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Hundreds attend funeral of Antoin Akpom | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Hundreds of mourners packed a church for the funeral of a football coach who was stabbed to death. | |
Antoin Akpom, 20, was knifed in Kent Street, Leicester, on 12 September. | |
In a statement read out before the service began at 10:00 BST, the family said they wanted people to remember him for the "wonderful person he was". | |
Tributes were paid to Mr Akpom by his parents, sisters and fiancée, as well as city dignitaries including the Bishop of Leicester. | |
The family statement read: "We are here today to say farewell and lay to rest a wonderful son, a loving partner and an adoring father. | |
"His death at the age of 20 has been a devastating blow to his family and friends but they want people to remember him for the wonderful person he was. | |
"Someone who loved sport and music, someone who coached and mentored countless school children, someone who was an inspiration to everyone who met him. | |
"Even in death, Antoin is bringing together and uniting so many people all around Leicester. | |
"Many people are working hard to see that his death is not in vain and that the good work he was doing continues. This is his legacy." | |
The two-hour long funeral started with a recording of his mother Cheryl Armatrading singing The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face before hymns were sung and tributes were paid. | |
Also speaking were Sir Peter Soulsby, the city's mayor, and Keith Vaz, the local MP. | |
Mr Akpom worked as a primary school teacher, volunteered as a youth team coach for Leicester Nirvana FC and had also set up a sports coaching business with his best friend Joe French. | |
"The funeral for any person as young as Antoin is always going to be not right because it should not be happening," said Mr French. | "The funeral for any person as young as Antoin is always going to be not right because it should not be happening," said Mr French. |
The Right Reverend Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester, said: "We need to encourage the many young people there, his friends and all those who have been touched by his life, that there is hope and a real purpose in building the future of our city, | |
"Even though it is shocking and a deep injustice has been done, we don't do anything to repair that through thoughts of revenge or the creation of conflict. | |
"We repair that through thoughts of reconciliation and I am sure that is what our families want and what those who knew Antoin will want as well." | |
Two men have been charged with Mr Akpom's murder and are next due to appear in court in January. | Two men have been charged with Mr Akpom's murder and are next due to appear in court in January. |
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