The sister of murdered gang member Prince Edness has spoken of the “heartfelt empathy” she feels for her elder brother’s killer as well as his family.

Tyka Edness revealed that she and her family did not celebrate the conviction of Jaquii Pearman Desilva, who was found guilty of her brother’s murder last month.

In a victim impact statement that was read to the court during Pearman Desilva’s sentencing yesterday, she said she deliberately chose not to be at court for the verdict out of respect for the 21-year-old killer and his family because “they too will fathom a loss”.

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt empathy to Jaquii Pearman Desilva and his family,” she said. “As the younger sister of Prince Edness I feel empathy because a human being will live out a lengthy and unfavourable reality.

“I would like it to be known that the Edness/Francis family did not celebrate after the verdict was announced. We did not drink champagne. We never gloated or danced.”

Ms Edness thanked the police, prosecutors, witnesses and jurors for bringing her brother’s killer to justice and proving that her brother’s life did matter. But she also was scathing of those who distributed pictures of her brother’s dead body via WhatsApp after he had been shot and those who celebrated Mr Edness’s murder.

“We endured so much as Prince’s family that we conscientiously chose to offer the respect that we were deprived of,” she said.

“We were deprived of contrition and respect from the many people who literally celebrated his death, never offering an inkling of sympathy to us as we grieved.

“Although I wake up screaming when I forget — and then remember again — that my brother is no longer in his physical form, I choose to give love and repel anger as best I can.

“I would like to send everlasting comfort to the family of Jason Lightbourne and Jaquii Pearman Desilva.”

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