UPDATED 20.12pm: A young father has been shot dead after confronting a gang of youths that terrorised his family and their neighbourhood.

Peter Woodhams, 22, staggered home and collapsed in front of his fiancee and their three-year-old son on Monday evening.

Jane Bowden, 23, and little Sam could only watch as paramedics tried in vain to save the man they loved most outside their home in Canning Town.

Miss Bowden believes the killers were part of the same gang that nearly killed her fiancee seven months ago. On January 21, youths held him down and stabbed him in the throat when he confronted them for casting a stone at his car.

After the stabbing, Miss Bowden said she gave names and addresses of the alleged attackers to the police, but no-one even took a statement from her.

No arrests were made at the time, police confirmed.

'They were always taunting us'

"They (the gang) were always taunting us, watching me walking home with Sam and smirking," Miss Bowden told the Evening Standard. "They knew they had stabbed Peter and got away with it. They thought they were untouchable."

Detectives believe Mr Woodhams was harassed by youths at shops in nearby Freemasons Road shortly before his death. The television satellite engineer drove home to drop off his black Ford Focus.

"Peter came in and said something about some trouble outside. He ran back out and then I heard two or three bangs," Miss Bowden said in the Standard interview.

"I went out holding Sam and saw someone run off. Peter turned to me and walked a few steps. I could see blood on his clothes.

"Then he just collapsed into some bushes and I started screaming. He managed to drag himself up and walk over to the front door and then fell on his front.

"He had been shot in the chest and a bullet had gone through his hand where he tried to protect himself."

'He wanted to protect us'

Miss Bowden told of how her fiancee refused to let January's stabbing get to him.

"They wrestled him to the ground and one said 'Hold him down'. Three held him while one slashed his face and stabbed him in the neck.

"They knew what they were doing - they tried to kill him."

Afterwards he needed emergency surgery, as the blade narrowly missing his jugular vein.

"He was traumatised by it, but he was determined not to let them win. He wanted to stand up to them and protect me and Sam - that's the way he was.

"He was a brilliant dad, Sam idolised him," Miss Bowden said. "He was a grafter, he worked so hard to give everything to me and our son. We were a happy little family and now it's all gone. I just want him back, he didn't do anything wrong. It's so unfair."

A police spokesman said a "full review" would be conducted to ensure that "correct standards of police procedure" were followed after the stabbing in January.

"Establishing the facts of this initial incident and any links it may have to Peter's murder is a priority."

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the murder, but has since been bailed to return to a police station pending the investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson appealed for anyone who saw Mr Woodhams or his car near the shops to contact police. "I'm also particularly keen to speak with anyone who witnessed the shooting, or sightings of suspects running away."

  • Anyone with information can call 020 8345 1570.