'Now he's has gone, I don't care about things... he was my reason for carrying on': How the senseless murder of her son has destroyed a mum's life

A heartbroken mother said she will 'won't ever come to terms' with her son's murder, as his killers were jailed.

Joe O'Brien, 24, was fatally stabbed during a mass brawl outside a pub in Failsworth.

He had been at the scene for less than a minute when he was attacked, at about 3am on April 21.

Joe and two pals had arrived on Oldham Road in a car to give a friend a lift home to get away, after fighting broke out.

Judge Andrew Menary QC said Joe had not been intent on causing trouble, and that he was 'tragically in the wrong place, at very much the wrong time'.

Now Momodou Jallow, 21, has been jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 22 years, and Daniel Kamara, 22, was jailed for 11 years for manslaughter.

His mum said Joe, who lived with her, had lots of friends and that he was a 'very caring' person (MEN Media)

At Tuesday's sentencing hearing, at Liverpool Crown Court, prosecutor Charles Garside QC read out a statement from Roz McDonald, Joe's mother.

She told how Joe, the youngest of five children, was a keen sportsman who loved football and swimming.

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He gained 14 GCSEs at North Manchester High School for Boys, all at A or B grade.

Joe initially had dreams of becoming a firefighter, but later found work as a clerk at a barrister's chambers, Manchester city centre-based Deans Court.

His mum said Joe, who lived with her, had lots of friends and that he was a 'very caring' person.

“I find it difficult going in his room now. There are too many memories," she said.

'Kind and generous' Joe had been due to go on holiday to Amsterdam with about 30 of his friends, and on the holiday they all wore t-shirts with his picture on in his memory, the court heard.

She said: "I feel like now Joe has gone, I don't care about things. Joe was my reason for carrying on."

Speaking of the night of her son’s death, she said that at about midnight Joe left home and said he would be back soon.

At about 5am, two police officers knocked on her door, and she was taken to hospital and told that her son had been stabbed to death.

”I remember feeling so angry,” she said.

“No mother should have to see her son in the mortuary. It’s not fair.

"Joe’s murder was senseless. I won't ever come to terms with what happened to my boy.

“Joe was like my mate, we got on so well.

"No one ever said a bad word against him."