Police extended a dispersal order in Coventry as mourners gathered for a vigil in memory of a 21 year old biker who died in a crash at the weekend.
Jayden Cornwall died on Saturday evening after his motorbike was involved in a collision with a bus in Cheylesmore. The crash happened on Daventry Road, close to the junction with The Mount, at around 7.35pm.
West Midlands Police brought in a dispersal order in the area on Sunday, a move that has drawn criticism from some in the community. On Tuesday, the force confirmed it was keeping the order in place until Wednesday afternoon, citing concerns raised by residents about anti-social behaviour.
In a statement on social media, the force said the order would run until 4.24pm on 15 July “in response to concerns raised by the community.” It added that people would see “an enhanced police presence in this area during the next few hours to prevent offences and maintain community safety.”
A large crowd gathered at the scene for a vigil in Cornwall’s honour, where a balloon release was held and flares and fireworks were set off. Flowers, candles, photographs and handwritten messages have been left around a lamp post at the site, along with 21 balloons tied in his memory. One note tucked among the tributes read, “love you kiddo, chill up there with your nan.”
Cornwall’s friend, Saul Redgrave, paid tribute to him, describing him as “the funniest, most happiest, bubbliest guy you’d meet.” He said that if anyone was ever in a bad mood, Cornwall was “100% the person that you’d want to be around” and would lift their spirits.
Redgrave told the BBC that he had been moved by the number of strangers stopping to pay their respects at the scene, whether or not they had known Cornwall personally. He said it reflected “what kind of person he was, how loved he was by the community and how many people his passing has touched,” adding that while the scene was hard to see, it was comforting that so many people were coming together and offering support to the grieving.
However, Redgrave criticised the police decision to bring in the dispersal order after crowds gathered at the site. He argued that no one at the scene was behaving disrespectfully and that people had been tidying up after themselves, saying the community should be given space to grieve.
His view was shared by another local resident, who felt the vigil should have been allowed to continue without intervention, saying that stopping it risked upsetting Cornwall’s friends and family at what was already a difficult time.
Detectives investigating the crash are continuing to appeal for witnesses. West Midlands Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is trying to establish the exact circumstances of the collision and is asking anyone with information, including CCTV, doorbell or dash cam footage, to come forward.
A fundraiser has also been set up by Renee Fitzpatrick, a close family friend of Jayden Cornwall, to support his family at this time. Writing on the GoFundMe page, which had raised £7,970 at the time of writing, Fitzpatrick explained that she has “raised our boys together” with Jayden’s parents and described their community as close knit, saying they simply “want to help ease some of stress at this awful time.”
She described Jayden as “such a beautiful soul inside out,” adding that at 21 he was always “polite, well mannered and respectful to all,” as well as “charming, funny, charismatic, full of life.” Fitzpatrick said the family were “truly devestated” and asked people to share and donate whatever they could, “no matter how big or small,” before closing with a message to Jayden: “Rest in eternal paradise you special boy, we will love & miss you forever until we meet again.”
Anyone who can help is asked to contact the force via Live Chat on its website, or by calling 101 and quoting reference 4878 of 11/7/26. The investigation team can also be reached by email at [email protected].
The fundraiser can be found at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-loving-memory-of-Jayden-cornwall
