Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Olimpia Zagnat

We have a life sentence too, says family of Byron Griffin after gang jailed for his murder

A devastated mum said she will 'never find closure' after four men were given long prison sentences for murdering her 22-year-old son in a street attack that lasted just a minute.

Zoe Cooke, of West Bridgford, said her family "have got a life sentence" dealing with the tragic loss of Byron Griffin, and their lives will never be the same without him.

Jordan Fairbrother, Dylan Geary, Daniel Lewsley and Grant Masterson were all found guilty of his murder following a six-week trial at Derby Crown Court.

Geary, 22, and Lewsley, 32, will serve a minimum of 25 years behind bars before being eligible for parole, while Masterson, 29, will serve a minimum of 26 years and Fairbrother, 26, a minimum of 27 years.

The final blows were delivered by Fairbrother who stabbed a kitchen knife through the heart of Mr Griffin.

After the sentencing, the now heartbroken mum Ms Cooke told Nottinghamshire Live: "I am really pleased with the results as far as the UK justice system goes."

However, the 48-year-old added: "I do believe we need a massive shake up to the justice system, and tougher punishments for those involved in knife crime.

"We have got a life sentence now as a family.

"Byron lost his life, he will never be able to have children, to have a family and he will never be able to get married.

"His life is finished, he will never be able to go on holidays with his friends.

Zoe Cooke holding baby Byron Griffin. (Zoe Cooke)

"And these people, who killed him, will still get out eventually and will still be able to live their life at some point, whereas Byron cannot, and his family including myself will never move on.

"I will never ever forgive them - they ruined my life, my two daughters' lives, and his grandparents' lives.

"I have got a constant ache in my heart, and it is every day that I cry at some point.

"How can you forgive anyone for killing your baby? I adored him, he was the apple of my eye.

"There is always going to be a massive void."

She also said that the sentencing left her feeling "bittersweet", claiming that two of the murderers who attended the hearing via video link made rude gestures while the camera was still recording.

Ms Cooke added: "Geary and Fairbrother stuck their middle fingers up after the hearing.

"It was like a kick in the teeth.

"It is just an insult to the jury and our family.

"It was so rude - they showed to remorse for what they have done."

Ms Cooke's oldest daughter and Byron's sister Ria Moore was also watching the sentencing via video link from her home in Dubai, where she currently works as a primary teacher.

Ria Moore and Byron Griffin, pictured together. (Zoe Cooke)

The 28-year-old, who was due to see her brother before he died, said her "life will never be the same without him".

Speaking from Dubai, she added: "I am still at a stage where I cannot believe that this could happen to us.

"Knowing that none of these people will be walking the streets for a long time brings us a sense of relief.

"But a day like the day of the sentencing really brings all back to you.

"It was a sad day to remember why we were there."

Ms Moore was due to come to Nottingham from Dubai at the beginning of July last year to spend seven weeks with her family, including Byron.

But her 22-year-old brother was found stabbed in Eyre's Garden in Ilkeston, Derbyshire on July 4, days before they were due to meet up.

She added: "That flight that I was about to catch as normal turned out to be a nightmare, it was the flight that got me home in time for the funeral."

Ms Moore said she has been dealing with panic attacks and anxiety since his brother's death, adding that the tragic episode "changed [her] completely as a person".

Byron's grandmother June Turney, of Bunny in Nottinghamshire, 75, has echoed the family's heartbreak and added: "As a mother I try to protect my children, and I could not protect Zoe from losing her son.

"It is knowing that you cannot make it feel better, because it will never ever go away.

"She spends every day before and after work visiting the grave - it is not something you expect to be doing.

"We have got a life sentence on our lives now.

"There is always someone missing from the dinner table.

"All I hope is that we can start living again, but it does leave a void.

"I just think the pain will never Zoe."

To make sure that her son "did not die in vain", Zoe Cooke has been actively campaigning to install Bleed Control Kits across Nottingham.

There are currently eight 24-hour cabinets already existent, and 23 kits that have already been handed out to pubs.

Ms Cooke has also been speaking to Rushcliffe MP Ruth Edwards about the possibility of implementing tougher punishments for those involved in knife crime.

After the sentencing, Conservative MP Edwards said: "Byron’s death was a senseless tragedy and I have huge admiration for his mum Zoe and all the work she is doing to try and prevent other parents from facing the same unimaginable pain.

"I was privileged to meet with Zoe at my constituency surgery last month and to discuss what more we can do to tackle knife crime.

"The Government is committed to stamping-out knife crime and is introducing both Knife Crime Prevention Orders and Serious Violence Reduction Orders to restrict the ability of people to become involved in knife crime and to provide police officers powers to target those already convicted of certain knife offences, meaning that known criminals who pose the greatest risk could be stopped at any time.

"Through the Beating Crime Plan, the Government is taking a twin-track approach which combines tough enforcement to get knives off our streets with early intervention programmes that steer young people onto better paths for the future. An assessment of the pilot relaxing conditions on the use of Section 60 stop and search showed it gave police officers greater confidence to make use of the power, better reflected the realities and uncertainties officers face on the ground around predicting serious violence, and acted as a deterrent.

"I very much welcome this progress and I am delighted to be working with Zoe to come up with further proposals to take forward to the Home Office."

To read all the biggest and best stories first sign up to read our newsletters here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.