A “hard-working” man who was stabbed to death outside a venue in Wembley could “light up a room”, said his girlfriend in a touching tribute.
Christiana Constantinou says it has been lonely after her boyfriend of five years, Givani Espuet, was stabbed outside The Aura in Harrow Road.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after reports of an incident involving 30 people on October 30, and despite the efforts of emergency services Givani died a short time later.
Miss Constantinou had spent the whole day with Givani before he left to go to a birthday party at the venue.
During the night he constantly sent her updates of messages and videos of the night before he allegedly tried preventing a fight that erupted inside and then spilled outside.
She said: “He said he was going to be a few hours and come back so I waited, fell asleep and then I got the dreaded call. Me and his sister met at the scene, and I rushed there.
“I thought this is the worst call you can receive to a young Black boy.”
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The two had met when he was 13 and she was 14 at Claremont High School and they started off as best friends before they began to date in 2017.
Givani, from Edgware, was described as “very busy” as he’d juggle between coaching for his local team, playing football on Mondays and Wednesdays and also regularly carpooling his young family friend to football training.
“He was always willing to help and he got along well with children,” Miss Constantinou said.
She continued: “He was always encouraging people to be good, play sports and love life to be honest.
“Everyone I speak to just can’t believe that he’s only 21, he has such a kind old soul. He was always willing to help family and friends, whether he was helping someone move house or helping a food shop or giving a lift somewhere.
“Nothing was ever too much. He was always loving and put everyone before him.”
It has been difficult for her to adjust without him as he was “always present” in her life. The two would see each other nearly four times a week and would constantly talk over the phone.
She said: “We had our plans – we had a three year, five year, 10 year plan. It’s all gone now in a space of a couple of minutes.
“When people say a person could light up a room, I would literally say that’s Givani. Everyone is just missing him so much, it’s such a loss.”
Charges
Six men have been charged with murder after the fatal stabbing.
Bruce Hutchinson, 29, of no fixed abode, was arrested on November 9 and charged the day after.
Both Sahid Kpaka, 27, of Gladstone Avenue in Wood Green, and Courtney Forrester, 25, of Old Bedford Road in Luton, were arrested and charged on November 10.
Kadeem Hibbert, 29, of no fixed abode, was then arrested on November 11 and charged the day after.
Andre Watson-Browne, 36, of Park Grove in Haringey, was also arrested on November 13.
Theo Simon, 33, of Gladstone Avenue in Wood Green, was previously charged with Givani’s murder on October 31, as well as with possession of an offensive weapon.
They are next due to appear at the Old Bailey on January 19.
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