A GRIEVING mother has spoken of her pain after her son was chased and beaten unconscious before being shot in the head at close range.

During their last phone conversation Daniel Herbert reassured his mother he was on his way home from Rotherhithe to feed their dog in Holywell Close, Orpington.

But three hours after they spoke he was found critically ill after having been shot in the head at close range in Clements Street, Rotherhithe.

The 27-year-old had been chased by a group of five white men through the streets of Bermondsey and when they caught up with him they beat him until he was unconscious.

One of the men then pulled out a gun and shot him in the head.

He was taken to hospital after the shooting at 2am on August 17 but died the following day.

Speaking at a press conference at Lewisham Police Station today (August 26) his mother Androulla, known as Ann, said: “Dan was my only child and I don’t know what I’m going to do without him.

“I just feel numb and I’m waiting for him to come home.

“I still do not believe it. It’s like it’s not real.

“I think about how everyone’s going to move on with their life but I cannot because it has all been taken away from me.”

Ms Herbert added: “He was a joker, loud, funny and a big presence.

“Everyone liked him and knew him.

“Even his dog Arnold is waiting for him to come home, he’s missing him so much.”

The 46-year-old supermarket worker added: “I’m going to be a lonely old lady with nothing and that scares me.

“Someone out there, help me to find Dan’s murderer, please, before he does it again.”

Ms Herbert told the press conference her son had recently started up a club promotion business in the West End.

She worried about him coming home on the night bus from central London but never from Bermondsey as he knew everyone because they had lived there until he was 14.

Investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons would not confirm whether Daniel knew his killers.

DCI Lyons said: “The men beat him unconscious, dragged him to his knees, placed a gun to his head and murdered him.

“That was a callous and brutal murder.”

The officer said robbery was not the motive for the killing.

He added: “This investigation is nine days into it and it is too early to draw conclusions.

“We do keep an open mind as to motive, why they did it and who they are.”

The suspects are said to be in their early 20s and one of them was wearing three-quarter length cargo style shorts.

At the time of Daniel’s murder he was wearing blue jeans which were spattered with paint, because he had been decorating.

Anyone with any information about the killing should call the police on 020 8721 4961.

A 22-year-old man has been released on police bail after being arrested on suspicion of murder.