Birmingham family heartbroken as ‘scumbag’ riders destroy crime victim’s Witton Cemetery grave

The family of a Birmingham man who was killed after being ambushed in a city park have hit out at “scumbags” who vandalized and destroyed his grave in a cemetery. Leon Lee was 22 when he was lured to Finchley Park, in Kingstanding, to meet a woman, but was then attacked with a club and stabbed and left to bleed to death in October 2007.

Donovan Thompson, then 19, of Curlews Close, Erdington, and Christopher Howell, then 19, of Carters Green, West Bromwich, were found guilty of his murder and jailed for life. Leon is buried at Witton Cemetery in Perry Barr on the Erdington border

And now his grave has been vandalized by what witnesses describe as ‘joyriders’ after an incident at around 9.30am on Tuesday 18 June. The incident is believed to have been caught on CCTV and West Midlands Police are investigating.

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Leon Lee’s father Carlton, from Handsworth, spoke to BirminghamLive and said: “I didn’t know. My heart sank when I heard. Obviously, I’m gutted and bitter. The damage is horrific and heartbreaking.

“I was approached by Graham (Spencer) who posted online. The council has footage.”

The Jaguar Land Rover worker said: “It’s going to be a huge bill and I can’t afford it. I live in Handsworth. 2008 was. It cost almost three thousand. It’s more or less double the price

“They’re just scoundrels. What can I say? I was just trying to find out if it was an accident or what. I want them caught.”

Graham Spencer observed the aftermath of the damage last weekend (Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June). He took photos Sunday and posted them in hopes of alerting the family. And it worked, Leon’s brother responded within an hour.

His post on the Nextdoor website read: “What is going on in Witton Cemetery? Cycling through the cemetery I came across a grave that had been badly damaged by a “joyrider” who lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the grave.

“One lady told me the graveyard is regularly a race track with fools doing ‘doughnuts’ she witnessed the incident but couldn’t get his registration number before speeding off minus the headlights from the front and part of the bumper.

“I have attached photographs of the damage and with the help of a passing motorist managed to lift the headstone with the grave’s name on it in the hope that someone will know the family so they can fix it.”

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The 74-year-old, who lives near the cemetery, told BirminghamLive: “It’s a disgrace. There is so much going on. I can’t say much more.

“On normal roads these idiots do the same thing with loud exhausts. . I have quite a few. bang bang bang I do it on Moor Lane. I cycle around the canals and on the way home I always walk through the cemetery as a way to cool off. I went through on Saturday (June 22nd) and back on Sunday (June 23rd) when I took the photos.

“Within an hour of posting the photos, I was contacted by Leon’s brother and father. “It happened last Tuesday (June 18). A lady who goes in there to look after her son’s grave.

“The woman was bending down to take care of her son’s grave. He heard a big bang. They damaged the bumper and the light and left those parts and left.”

He continued: “They damaged the bumper and the light and left those parts and left. The ground staff there said they were aware of it and they caught it on CCTV.”

“I was surprised that it’s been five or six days since this happened and no one from the council has tried to speak to the family. You can see the wheel tracks near the grave.

“I see one or two cars coming down the graveyard at what I would consider to be faster than normal. Pretty quick, often there.”

A spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: “When unfortunate incidents like this occur, cemetery staff will liaise between grave owners and car drivers. In this case, the driver did not stop, so we cannot do this, but we have written to the last known address of the grave’s owners and have been contacted by family members.

“The police are investigating and we will arrange for a safety inspection of the memorials affected, however the owner of the memorial must arrange for permanent repairs and owners are always advised to take out any necessary insurance.”

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “We are investigating after headstones were damaged in Witton Cemetery, Moor Lane, Birmingham. Inquiries are underway to establish the details of how the headstones were damaged. If you can help us, you can contact us via Live. Chat on our website or by calling 101 quoting crime reference 20/607832/24.”