James Green's lover describes finding him knifed to death in Northfleet home
11:21am Monday 14th January 2013 in News By Sam Christie
Samantha Braham, partner of Northfleet stab victim James Green, and their two children Taylor-James, two, Tommy-Lee, one.
THE PARTNER of a Northfleet father of five knifed to death in his home has relived her horrific ordeal for the first time.
Samantha Braham returned from a night out to discover 29-year-old James Green in a pool of blood at the foot of the stairs.
Earlier that evening Miss Braham had been watching her granddad Peter Salisbury play in a gig in nearby Bean.
The 21-year-old arrived at her mum’s in nearby Wallis Park, where her two young children were being looked after, to a worrying message.
She told News Shopper: "We got back just before 11pm and my sister was on Facebook and said one of my neighbours had messaged her to say ‘you best get back here because your door’s been kicked in’.
"We drove around and saw our dog outside the kebab shop and I thought ‘why is the dog on its own’?
"A policeman was at the door. When I opened it I saw him lying there, there was a lot of blood and I started crying, and fell down and said ‘who did this to him?’"
The father of five had been attacked with a knife outside his front door in Holly Court, on The Hive Estate, on the evening of June 21.
Last month, Tommy Presley, 18, of Bankside, Northfleet, was cleared of the murder of Mr Green but found guilty of his manslaughterand jailed for 11 years at Maidstone Crown Court.
His co-accused, a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter.
Miss Braham, who was in a relationship with James ‘Jay’ Green for five-and-a-half years, believes the sentence does not match the crime.
She said: "They could have given him life - they took the father to my kids away from them and me, while they’re still living their life in prison.
"I think he should have got longer."
Miss Braham said the entire family have been devastated by his tragic death, particularly his two young sons, Tommy-Lee, one, and Taylor-James, two.
She said: "Me and Taylor came back to clear some of my stuff out of the house and he ran straight to the bedroom to looking for Jay.
"He was saying ‘daddy, daddy where are you?’ like he was playing a game.
"I had to say daddy’s ‘up there’. It’s horrible seeing him like that. It’s had a real affect on them, it’s just horrible.
"He was a really good dad, he would done anything for his boys. They looked up to him, whenever they did anything they would want to show dad.
"He used to treat the kids whenever he could."
Struggle to be rehoused
THE GRIEVING family of James Green have been embroiled in a battle to be rehoused since his tragic death.
Samantha Braham claims she was initially ordered by housing association Town & Country to move back into her home where her partner was killed.
"There would be too many flash backs, I’m not going back there," she told News Shopper.
"It’s really affected the kids, and it would mess with their heads. They would think everything’s back to normal.
"’Where’s daddy, where’s daddy’, they would be sat thinking their daddy will walk in any minute. I can’t imagine their faces."
However, last week Town & Country served an eviction notice on the house in Holly Court.
While Miss Braham is relieved she does have to return to her former home but claims Town & Country has told her she must move away from the area. "They’re trying to drag us away from my family who have supported me," she said.
"It will be the first time I’ll be living on my own and I need to be close to my mum and friends and family who have been there for me.
"They don’t seem to be getting the message.
"They think because I don’t want to move away from the area I’m low priority. It seems like I’ve been forgotten about."
Miss Braham and her two young children have been staying at her parents’ house in nearby Wallis Park since Jay was killed.
A Town & Country spokesman said they sympathise with the family but the rent arrears had built up over a"significant time" before the tragedy.
He said: "The flat has not been lived in recently and there is a desperate need for affordable housing such as this in Gravesham so it can’t be left empty.
"We have served notice of eviction so that the property can be offered to another family in need.
"We are talking to her about what her options may be, either with Town & Country or with another housing provider."
