Mark Carroll was known to his friends as Mogi

TRIBUTES have been paid to a man who died after being stabbed in a Camden Town park, with friends describing him as “good soul” who helped vulnerable people patch their lives back together.

Police have opened a murder investigation into the death of Mark Carroll, after an incident in St Martin’s Gardens last Wednesday lunchtime.

The 55-year-old, known as “Mogi”, died in hospital the following day and it was later confirmed in a police appeal that he had sustained a knife wound.

The initial ­theory was that he had suffered a heart attack. Friends have left flowers and cards in the park where Mr Carroll spent a lot of his time.

“Mogi stands for ‘master of gaming institute’ because he was a gamer when he was younger, a really good gamer,” Tracy, one of Mr Carroll’s friends, told the New Journal. “He was just our Mogi, our Mark. And we loved him dearly. I miss him.”

Mr Carroll was from Birmingham but moved to Camden Town when he was in his early 20s to take over his dad’s flat in Albany Street after his father died. He has two daughters and grandchildren who live in Hastings and Bedfordshire. Many of his friends met him at the now-closed Spectrum centre in Parkway.

Tracy, 60, said: “Spectrum was for people who had addiction issues or who were homeless. You could get your mail sent there. There was a hairdresser and nurse there.

“We all met there and there were lots and lots of us back in the day. Through the nature of the beast [addiction] we’ve lost a lot of people, which is really sad.

“Mogi would be here [St Martin’s Gardens] every day, you could be sure of that. You notice that he’s not here. You can feel the silence, it’s palpable.”

As well as gaming, Mr Carroll loved martial arts, old reggae and ska music, playing chess and writing poetry. He was working on writing a book about his life before he passed, Tracy said.

She added: “He just got an iPhone and was in these chess groups and he was kicking us. I was jealous as I’ve always wanted to play chess.

“He was cleverer than he made out. He wore a great disguise of being a court jester but he was highly intelligent. I suppose the life we’ve led you do hide things like that a little bit. He was a nerd and we loved him for it.”

Flowers in the park left for Mr Carroll

Chris Lambert, 50, met Mr Carroll in the now-closed pub The Parkway when he was 18 years old.

He said: “We were both drinking Guinness. Back then he used to help vulnerable people. I can’t remember what it was called. He used to help alcoholics and try to get them sorted and back on their feet and in accommodation. Eventually, he got sucked into that way of life. He did a lot for people.”

The pair used to play pool in the Good Mixer, and hang out in the Hawley Arms and the Railway.

Mr Lambert said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got told the next day about what happened. I was gutted for him. He just didn’t deserve that.

“I saw him a week before he passed. He was looking so good. He was peaceful. He looked the healthiest I saw him mentally. It was just a bit of a shock.

“He was telling me he was back in touch with his daughter and seeing his grandkids and he was so happy. He could see the future was bright.”

Trevor Taylor of Chalk Farm also met Mr Carroll when he was working at the Spectrum and helped Mr Carroll set up an email account. He said: “I can’t get over it. He used to go to the park everyday. I saw him last week. I still can’t get my head around what happened to him. He was a harmless fella.”

Tom Reidy, 87, said: “I’ve been coming to this park for 60 years. Mark used to put ‘get well soon’ cards in the door for me when I was sick . He was a nice guy. He was always chasing the pigeons because they made a nuisance up on the balcony where he lives. Everyone knew him because he was a bit of a character.”

Tom Reidy in St Martin’s Gardens

In a card left in the park addressed to Mark, a note said: “To Mogi, I know you don’t like soppy so I’ll just write some facts. You were my friend. I loved you from my heart. I trusted you. I will miss you for the rest of my life. Until we meet again.”

Superintendent Annmarie Cowley, who is responsible for policing in Camden, said: “We know that this attack will also be of significant concern within the wider community, especially as it happened in such a public place. We are continuing to liaise with our partners, and you will see additional officers in the area over the coming days while we continue to investigate this tragic crime.”

Initially, it was suspected that Mr Carroll collapsed from a cardiac arrest but after further investigation he was found to have sustained a stab injury to his body. The park was closed for two days while officers investigated.

Rasheed Rahman, 19, from Chadwell Heath, was charged with murder and has also been charged with possession of a bladed article, robbery and two counts of threatening someone with a bladed article. Any witnesses are asked to call the police quoting reference CAD 3650/10Apr.