Father of Walkford murder victim says 'I live on memories' as teens face sentencing for his killing

THE heartbroken parents of Walkford murder victim Edward Reeve paid tribute to their son as two teens who killed him appeared at a sentencing hearing at Winchester Crown Court today (Tuesday).

Mr Reeve (35) was stabbed to death in his home in Heath Road on New Year’s Eve last year by two youths, from Christchurch and Bournemouth.

They were just 16 at the time. They are now 17 and were convicted of murder by a jury in July. They cannot be named due to their age.

Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC previously told the court how the victim was killed in a “brutal and unrelenting attack”.

After hearing from both sides, the judge, Honourable Mr Justice Sweeney, will hand down sentence tomorrow.

Ms Karmy-Jones KC read a victim impact statement from Mr Reeve’s father John, who had brought up his son alone from the age of five.

It said: “We were best mates as well as father and son. I was devoted to him."

Mr Reeve revealed he now spent his time watching videos of his son, saying: “My life is over, my future is in the past. I live on memories.”

The victim’s mother, Jayne Newey, described him as a “beautiful boy”, adding: “I will never see that lovely smile again and I will never hear him call me mum again."

Mr Reeve was slashed and stabbed to death by the two teens. Two knives were used in the attack, one of which was taken to the house by the Bournemouth youth.

The victim's left thumb was “cut to the bone” while there was a gaping slash to his wrist which also went to the bone.

A stab wound to his stomach was so severe his intestines were exposed, and he had been slashed across the face.

An impact statement from a teenage female friend of Mr Reeve, who discovered his body four days after the attack, told how she saw visions of him “standing at the end of my bed” and “laying on the floor”.

She said it had “really messed my mental health up”, adding that she had also suffered cyberbullying after the murder and was now “too scared to go out”.

The two teens had gone to Mr Reeve's house at his invitation after he had met the Christchurch youth two days before to buy drugs from him.

At their trial in July the defendants blamed each other for the killing. The Christchurch teen claimed he had stabbed the victim in self-defence after he threatened him.

He said the other youth had then launched an attack on Mr Reeve which killed him.

The Bournemouth teen said it was his friend who had murdered Mr Reeve.

The Christchurch teen had denied possessing a knife but was found guilty. The Bournemouth teen had admitted the offence.

In mitigation, Katherine Lumsdon KC, acting for the Christchurch youth, claimed the killing of Mr Reeve had not been premeditated.

She also took issue with suggestions by the prosecution that he may have been tortured during the attack.

But Judge Mr Justice Sweeney interjected, telling her: "He was stabbed and attacked multiple times and left to die. The last moments of his life must have been simply awful."

Nicholas Haggan KC, appearing for the Bournemouth youth who has a previous conviction for possessing a knife and another for burglary, said he was "very remorseful".

In a letter to the court, the teen said he intended to gain a trade while in jail so he could "make a new fresh start in life" when he was released.

The two youths will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court tomorrow.