A BRAINTREE pawnbroker has said how "an act of total savagery" has meant life for his family will never be the same again, as his son's killer was sentenced to life in prison.
Edward Redman was 17 when he stabbed Jay Whiston, also 17, twice in the heart at a house party in Colchester two years ago.
Redman, now 18, will serve at least 17 years in prison, after he was convicted of murder following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court last month.
It was an emotional day in a packed Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday in which there was standing room only in the public gallery.
Statements from Jay's parents, Stafford Whiston, who runs Cash In Hand in New Street, Braintree, Caroline Shearer and sister, Holly Fairburn, in which they described their "loving, generous and cheeky" son who always played practical jokes.
"We will never know Jay the man, I will never get over his death, I'll always be wondering what he'd be doing now," said Mr Whiston in a statement to the court.
"I'll never see him grow old or get married, I could never imagine life without him, I'll always miss his sense of fun and willingness to help others.
"It was an act of total savagery and now life will never be the same again."
Jay had worked at his father's pawnbroker business in Braintree and was a budding businessman himself, even getting an interview for Alan Sugar's BBC TV show The Apprentice a few months before his murder.
"When he was born I never thought I could love anyone as much as I loved him and I just loved him more and more as each day passed.
"To my mum he was the special one and they were really close, even as a 17 year-old, he was my Jay, my son.
"When Caroline and I split weekends became important, we used go fishing and watch Arsenal play with his cousin.
"He liked board games such as Monopoly and roulette and he had to be the banker. Then as he grew older he became interested in computers.
"He used to repair his own as well as others and would help out a family member or friend with advice.
"Jay had begun work as a pawnbroker and when I came to set up my own he worked with me.
"He was very ambitious and a young entrepreneur and even got an interview with Alan Sugar to appear on the Apprentice a few months before he died," added Mr Whiston.
Jay's mother, Caroline Shearer, broke down in the witness box as she paid tribute to her son and said she "would never be the same person she used to be".
Also in the dock was Edward's father Gary Redman, 51, and brother John Redman, 20, were sentenced to two years each for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and ex-girlfriend Shannon Fenlon, 19, who broke down in tears as she was led away to the cells, was jailed for nine months.
The court also heard Redman's long list of previous convictions and that he was out on license at the time of the killing.
Judge Gratwicke told Redman as he sentenced him: "You were convicted by a jury of the callous and savage killing of Jay Whiston, for no other reason than the fact he had intervened to assist one of his friends who had been attacked.
"He was an innocent young man with everything to live for, he wasn't looking for trouble, he was cut down by you, bringing his life to an untimely end.
"His family are devastated by his loss, having lost a beloved son and brother and your savagery will live on with them forever.
"You were well aware of the dangers of carrying a knife, due to your age and that this was not a pre-meditated killing I sentence you to 17 years in prison."
