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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Sean McPolin

Mum takes overdose during trial of killers who stabbed son to death at funfair

A heartbroken mum whose son was killed by 10 youths at a funfair has revealed she overdosed while the gang were on trial.

Jack Woodley, 18, was killed at Houghton Fear in County Durham last October by a group of teens who were compared to "zombies attacking an animal".

This week the gang of youths were all found guilty of murder at Newcastle Crown Court and are facing life behind bars.

After the harrowing ordeal of losing her son and reliving every parents' worst nightmare at trial, Jack's heartbroken mum Zoe McGill opened up on how the "senseless" attack left her suicidal.

"I actually overdosed during the trial," the 35-year-old Durham resident said.

Jack Woodley, 18, was fatally stabbed in the back during an assault by a gang of teenage boys (PA)

"It is just horrific what they have done to him. It has been far worse than I expected.

"There was no reason for it. I had just had enough and was missing Jack.

"It was when a doctor was saying about his injuries. It was one thing on top of another. I just flipped.

"I had to sit with Jack in the hospital after he was attacked and I have got those memories. I was in the court room and it just got to me."

Ms McGill, a supervisor at pharmaceutical company GSK in Barnard Castle, had been speaking to her son shortly before the horrific attack.

She explained: "He rang me before he was killed and he was happy. They were having a good time.

"He asked for some more money for rides. So I sent him some more money.

"At twenty past nine, his friend messaged me and said they had been attacked."

The jury was told Jack was beaten, punched and stamped on before he was fatally stabbed in the back.

Mc McGill added: "We have been shocked. We expected Jack to have maybe retaliated.

"But when they have gone through the evidence everyone has just said he was protecting himself and they were still standing on him.

Jack Woodley with his younger brothers Jayden and Jenson (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

"It is unbelievable for us to sit and listen to it, because we are just like why?

"Why would you continue? It is awful. What gets us is what he went though. He must have suffered so much.

"I have always said I hoped it was quick but then the evidence came out.

"That other children could do that to another human and not feel bad that this kid was in a ball and they were still continuing.

"It absolutely broke me."

Newcastle Crown Court heard one of the attackers was heard to shout "get the chopper" out as they approached the 18-year-old victim, with one of them carrying a Rambo-style knife.

Jack was then punched, kicked, stamped on and stabbed in the back, while the group "prevented him from escaping and prevented other people from helping".

One eyewitness said the youths were like a "herd of lions" when they attacked.

Another witness who saw the violence said: "Jack got down on the floor so he could curl up in a ball.

"He was so scared. There were so many punches raining down on him. They were brutal.

"Everyone in the group was just kicking the life out of Jack, stamping on his head.

"The lads were savagely kicking Jack, like zombies attacking an animal.

"I remember the terrified look on Jack's face as he was being kicked, punched and stamped on."

Jack, who had told his attackers he wanted to go home and did not want to fight, died in hospital.

Ten youths, now aged between 14 and 18, denied murder and have been tried by a jury.

After a trial lasting two months and three days of deliberations the jury found all ten guilty of murder.

Prosecutor Mark McKone QC told the court Jack and the youths who killed him had all been at the funfair that evening and the killing happened near the Britannia Inn pub in Houghton.

Mr McKone said that while only one youth inflicted the fatal stab wound, the other nine are guilty due to "the concept of joint enterprise".

The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.

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