'Give them life!' Family's plea after thugs are convicted over Fabian's death

Fabian Kacica was with friends outside the Forum library in Southend in May this year when he was stabbed to death after a fight broke out.

Yesterday, Joe Paffey, 21, of Old Southend Road, Southend, was convicted of murder after the court heard he delivered the fatal blow to Fabian’s chest.

Aidon Pearce, 21, of Treecot Drive, Leigh, was convicted of manslaughter and both men were found guilty of attempted robbery.

During the trial, the court heard Fabian had been socialising with friends before he was killed in an attack which lasted only minutes.

Fabian and his best friend Kamil Mirga were out socialising with two 15-year-old girls, and had stopped at the Forum because one of the girls needed to go to the toilet.

While the two girls were walking to the building, a group of men, including Paffey and Pearce, began calling out to them but they were ignored.

When the girls came out of the Forum, they were called over by the group, one of whom they knew, so they went over and began a conversation.

Aidon Pearce asked the girls how old they were and the ages of Fabian and Kamil before they quickly returned to Fabian’s Ford Fiesta, followed by Paffey and Pearce.

One of the teenage girls who had been with Fabian in the lead up to his death told the court she overheard the two men planned to steal his car at knifepoint.

The prosecution told the court Pearce said to Paffey “well we’re robbing the car” before the two men discussed whether they had a knife.

The girls and Mr Mirga got in Fabian’s car while Fabian stood by the driver’s door.

Pearce shouted “why are you with two 15-year-old girls?” which he used as a pretence to go there and challenge Fabian and Kamil, with the true purpose being robbery.

He then removed the keys from Fabian’s car so the two men could not escape.

Fabian immediately reacted by punching Pearce in the face in a bid to stop him stealing his car and as this happened, Paffey came round the car, behind Fabian and pushed him towards Pearce.

In shocking CCTV footage shown multiple times to the court, Paffey could then be seen to move into position in front of Fabian and without hesitation stabbed him in the chest, causing the knife to go through his heart.

Pearce and Paffey ran, leaving Fabian bleeding to death on the floor while his friend Kamil fought helplessly to save his life.

In the seconds before Fabian was stabbed, Kamil had armed himself with a wheel brace, sensing the situation was escalating.

As Fabian fell to the floor, Mr Mirga waved the wheel brace frantically to scare off Paffey, Pearce and any other bystanders so he could tend to his best friend’s injury.

Fabian’s family were visibly relieved as the jury returned unanimous verdicts and sentencing was adjourned so psychiatric reports could be completed for Paffey.

Judge John Lodge told the jury: “A very long sentence of imprisonment will have to be imposed. In cases where there’s a psychiatric background, it’s important I have an up-to-date report as far as Mr Paffey is concerned.”

Sentencing was adjourned until January 18.

Speaking after the convictions, a family statement attributed to Fabian's sister said: “Fabian’s life revolved around his family, he would always put us first and would go out of his way to ensure that we had everything that we needed.

"Whether this was looking after his cousins or taking mum to the shops, nothing would ever be too much for him.

"His general personality could brighten up the darkest of days and he was someone that you would always want by your side.

“The moment Fabian died, it was not only the death of him, but the death of our whole family.

"My mother and father have lost their only son and I have lost my best friend, my only sibling and the shining light of my life. 

“I regularly have flashbacks from the funeral; watching my brothers coffin lowered in to the ground, knowing that I would never see him again, knowing that he would never be a part of big events in my life, or to see my children grow up. I cannot bring myself to think that we will never grow old together, laughing and joking as we so often did.

“I ask the court to, on behalf of my whole family, give a life sentence to those convicted of his death.

"They have ripped our family apart and the only type of closure that we can have in this scenario; where in reality everyone involved loses, is to go to bed knowing that the people responsible for taking our Fabian away will not be walking the streets.”