The mother of a teenager convicted of murdering Steven Grisales is “begging” the community to come forward.

Sandra Espeut, who lives in Victoria Road, Edmonton, claims her 16-year-old son Ochaine Williams is not guilty of stabbing the 21-year-old student in College Close, Edmonton, on August 31 last year.

Williams, Former student of Park View School, in Tottenham, was 15 at the time of the murder, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in June to a minimum of ten-and-half-years.

However, his sentence was extended by a year-and-a-half on Tuesday after Mr Grisales’ parents made an appeal of an Unduly Lenient Sentence.

The 47-year-old, who moved with her son to Edmonton from Vicarage Road, in Tottenham, two years ago, believes people in Tottenham and Edmonton know more information about the real killer but are too afraid to come forward.

Reporting restrictions protecting Williams’ identity were also lifted by the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, which Ms Espeut said has devastated his family.

She said: “We are appealing for our friends and for people who know anything to come forward now his name is in the paper.

“They want to help him but no one wants their name to be known, that is the problem we are having. I am begging you to come forward.

"By the name of God we are going to come out victorious – it is going to happen, he is going to come out."

It is believed Mr Grisales confronted Williams and a gang of youths after they started throwing conkers at him when he was walking to Silver Street station.

Ms Espeut is planning to lodge an appeal against his conviction on Monday or Tuesday next week and is in the process of organising marches to publicise her cause.

His 27-year-old sister Camille is also desperate to see her brother freed from the young offender's institution.

She said: “We are not saying that he is an angel; we are saying that he is not guilty of that crime.

“We live in a community and they are scared to come forward, it is ridiculous. It is just the society we live in; everyone is trying to look macho.”

Williams told her that the only way he can survive inside is to “block out” what has happened.

Pastor Pat Agdomar, who has worked as a minister with the Edmonton-based Glory of the Cross for more than 30 years, is supporting the family.

He said: “The family are fair-minded people who really want to make it known that they really feel for the other family.

“It is a tragic thing for both sides but all we are looking for is for justice to be done and we are very sorry for their loss.”

The pastor, who campaigns against gun and knife crime in Enfield, said both teenagers are victims and the “fear factor” is preventing people in the community from coming forward.