A DAD was stabbed to death on his own doorstep as he tried to protect his daughter from a gang of teenage thugs.
Hero Jamie Markam, 45, rushed to the aid of his teenage daughter who was being taunted by the yobs outside of their home in Chingford Mount, north east London.
His heartbroken wife has paid tribute to him, explaining that the group of teens were swinging metal poles at her daughter Chloe, 17, and screaming at her on Monday.
Candice believes that the gang were aged around 14 to 15, and told how Jamie went to protect their daughter before being stabbed.
Speaking to The Mirror, Candice said: “The boys were walking around with metal poles. They were swinging them and shouting at my daughter.
“It’s just disgusting. It’s not the first time – you see them walking around and smashing bottles in the street.
“Just doing what they like, there’s no police. They’re kids – 14 and 15.
“My daughter didn’t know them, one of her friends knew one of them from school.”
The gang of youths are thought to be about to start year 10 at a local school next month.
Horrified neighbours said that the “entire street” could hear Jamie’s wife’s screams when he died just yards from their door.
Another resident added: “I saw hooligans running up and down this way and that way.
“The police have got my dash cam because I was sitting in the car at the time.
“It was hammering down so you couldn’t hear much of anything.
“I was shocked, especially seeing police doing CPR on him. I didn’t realise who it even was until later.”
Jamie has been described as a “kind, family man” who “kept to himself” by neighbours.
Susan White said: “He was a quiet family man with three kids who kept himself to himself.
“It was devastating hearing his wife screaming like that.”
Another neighbour, Sandra Green, added: “He was no trouble at all, just got on with everything and was a kind, family man.
“We’re all in shock, you assume it’s teenagers who get involved in this but when it’s a family man you just can’t believe it.”
Third resident, Alice McGill, 78, said: “All I know is that this girl was hanging out with these boys, one of them said something silly.
“She then went to go and get her father and her father came out and he died.
“It’s a tragedy because this young girl is going to have to live with that for the rest of her life.
“It’s not her fault. This girl was a proper daddy’s girl – the poor, poor girl.”
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command have launched a murder investigation but no arrests have yet been made.
A bouquet of flowers has been placed at the scene in tribute to Jamie.
Police were called at 6.20pm on Monday night to reports of a disturbance in Churchill Terrace.
Officers Jamie suffering with stab wounds but paramedics were unable to save him.
