Abbey Wood victim Charlie Bartolo's mum tells killers 'rot in hell'

Charlie Bartolo was riding a motorbike along Sewell Road when he was deliberately rammed by an SUV on November 26, 2022.

As he laid defenceless on the ground, three of the five teenage boys in the car jumped out and stabbed Charlie to death. 

Two of Charlie’s killers, Alagie Jobe and Hussain Bah, appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday (February 7) for sentencing. 

They are also being sentenced for the murder of Kearne Solanke, who was accidentally stabbed during the attack. 

Emma, Charlie’s mum, faced Bah and Jobe in court and told them: “Rot in hell.” 

Emma and Charlie (Image: Supplied)

‘I hate you’ 

In her victim personal statement, Emma told Jobe and Bah: “All I can say is I hate you. I hate the way you stole my son’s life from him and I hate what you have done to my family. 

“I will never forgive them. My only hope is that they receive a long sentence and in that time they reflect on what they’ve done.” 

Hussain Bah was driving the Nissan Qashqai which rammed 16-year-old Charlie Bartolo off his motorbike on Sewell Road.  

Alagie Jobe was one of three teenagers who got out the car and stabbed Charlie to death as he laid on the floor. 

Describing the moment she was told Charlie was dead, Emma said: “In that moment my life collapsed. I was surrounded by police officers and I was to upset to see the upset in their faces. 

“It’s difficult to describe how it feels to see your boy dead in hospital. 

“When he died his eyes stayed open and the doctors couldn’t shut them for me. That image will stay with me.” 

Charlie Bartolo (Image: Supplied)

‘Charlie wasn’t in gangs’ 

Emma told the court: “It has been suggested and speculated that Charlie was involve in gangs and crime. I can say this was not the case. He was just a teenager with his life ahead.” 

Prosecutor William Emyln Jones KC told the court: “To this day, the crown still can’t identify if Charlie Bartolo was targeted because he was Charlie Bartolo, or because he was a young man in Abbey Wood at the time.” 

Judge Neil Garnham KC replied: “On the evidence of the trial, I can’t conclude anything but the latter.” 

He described it as a "random" attack.

Alagie Jobe and Hussain Bah, both 19 (Image: Met Police)

Emma previously told News Shopper that on the night he was murdered he was on his first ever ride of a new motorbike which she had bought him for Christmas. 

She told the court he was due to sit his GCSEs that year and had an apprentice in electricity and plumbing lined up. 

“He will not have the opportunity to do any of those things now,” Emma said. 

‘I am haunted’ 

A statement from Charlie’s dad, Tony, was read out by prosecutor Mr Jones. 

Tony said: “Never in my worst dreams could I ever imagine that my son Charlie would be murdered all alone in the dark on a November evening.” 

“And for what reason?” he asked. 

“As a father I am haunted by how I was not there to save him, comfort him. Was he scared? Did he wish I was there?” 

Tony said: “None of us will know what brother and man Charlie could have become. What could Charlie have achieved? Would he have started a family? 

“Would he have travelled the world and had great adventures and stories to tell when he returned? 

“All me and my family have now are photos and memories.”