Nearly 18 months after floral designer Jaap Bornkamp was stabbed in a motiveless

attack in New Cross, police are still no closer to catching his murderer. Chief reporter ANDY LAITHWAITE reports on the latest in the investigation ...

Jaap Bornkamp, 52, of Norbury Hill, Norbury, was stabbed in the heart as two men walked past him and a friend in New Cross Road at 7.24am on June 4, 2000.

He was rushed to Lewisham Hospital but died after three hours in surgery.

It was classed as a homophobic attack but the police and his partner think this may be stopping some people from coming forward with information.

The reward was doubled to £20,000 in August by Jaap's partner Danny Spiteri, who hopes the increased sum may urge people to speak out.

Dutch-born Jaap worked as a floral designer for top florists Pulbrook and Gould before setting up his own company 10 years ago.

Danny told how this ability had taken Jaap all over the world and allowed him to work for many high profile clients including royalty, the Royal Ballet and the wedding bouquet for Rolling Stone Bill Wyman's marriage to Mandy Smith.

Danny said: “We had shared a house for sixteen-and-a-half years.

“Our future was together. We were going to get old together. Well, that was the plan.

“What happened didn't really sink in until after the funeral.

“I had a bit of a breakdown and had to leave my job, which I'd being doing for 28 years.

“Obviously dealing with his family in Holland has been quite hard.

“They have been devastated by this and we all want some form of closure.”

Talking about the people who killed Jaap, he said: “They are callous and cowardly.

“I think they would have done it if Jaap was gay or not.

“They are just vicious people and they are going to do it to someone else in the street, your son or daughter, if they are not caught.”

During the past 17 months the police have conducted extensive enquiries, have CCTV of the suspected killers and are continuing with DNA work on the murder weapon.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Eldridge, who is leading the investigation, said: “Considering we've been on Crimewatch twice, had news coverage of the enhanced pictures and appeared on Wanted For Murder, we have had a very limited response. With the two men who walked past Jaap, it's quite possible the person who didn't stab him had no idea what was going to happen, and if he was to come forward he could possibly be treated as a witness.”

Anyone with any information about this crime should call the incident room on 020 8217 6461 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.