The family of a respected consultant who was brutally murdered in a 15-minute "torture" attack in Cardiff's Bute Park have issued a poignant tribute.
The killers of Dr Gary Jenkins were convicted of murder at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Thursday – go here to recap events as they happened in court and find out more about the case.
Dr Jenkins, who was 54, was brutally beaten by his three assailants before being found in Bute Park in the early hours of July 20 last year. The trial heard Dr Jenkins had gone to the park late at night to meet other men for sexual activity. After the case concluded the Crown Prosecution Service issued an apology "for inappropriate and insensitive remarks made during the opening statement" by the case prosecutor. You can read more about that here.
After the case ended Dr Jenkins' family issued a statement to police paying tribute to the well-respected dad-of-two and also thanking witnesses Owain Hill and Louis Williams who sought help at the time of the attack. Mr Williams heroically tried to use his body as a shield and was himself assaulted.
In a statement issued through police Dr Jenkins' family said: “Gary was such a kind soul who would never hurt anyone. He was an incredibly generous and creative man who had only good intentions.
“Gary’s private life being put on display through a crown court trial has only intensified the impact of this event on our family, friends, and colleagues.
“It has been horrible to have to listen to the details of what happened.
“Gary’s untimely death has also had an impact on his patients. Gary was one of the most humane, kind, compassionate doctors one could ever come across.
“He spent most of his working life in the NHS.
“We cannot bring Gary back. There are no winners in this case, only losers, but as a family we are relieved that justice is done.
“As a family we would like to thank both the police for their efforts in bringing justice and the two main witnesses in this trial, Mr Hill and Mr Williams, for their extraordinary bravery and efforts to help Gary.
“They are Good Samaritans and we are eternally grateful to them and will never forget what they did to help.”
Jason Edwards, 25, Lee Strickland, 36, and Dionne Timms-Williams, 17, were convicted of murder and will be sentenced next month.
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